YOUNG PEOPLE working in the wider agricultural industry are encouraged to get their entries in for the AgriScot Business Skills competition.

Although AgriScot has been moved from its usual November slot, to February 9, 2022, the various farm of the year awards and competitions hosted at the event are now in full flow.

The AgriScot Business Skills competition is designed to encourage young people between 18 and 25 to develop their farm and business management skills and will see the winner presented with a £1,000 cheque.

Read more: AgriScot powers ahead with 2021 Business Skills competition

Applicants will be assessed on a range of business tasks, beginning with an essay submission, as AgriScot Chairman, Robert Neill, explains: “It is great that we are able to proceed with the AgriScot Business Skills competition as normal this year after an enforced break in 2020. Initial entry is by a short essay, from which semi-finalists will be selected to take part in regional (North and South) on-farm heats.

“I would encourage any young person, student, graduate, apprentice, farm worker or anyone working in the wider agricultural industry to take part,” he continued.

“I have heard from previous participants how taking part in the competition has helped them to develop their skills, contacts and provided an interesting addition to their CV’s.

“Of course, the £1,000 prize has proven very useful to previous winners and we are hugely grateful to NFU Mutual for their generosity in providing this prize.”

The previous winner from 2019, Jack Cooper, commented: “I found the whole process of taking part in the competition interesting and challenging and it helped to develop my skills and knowledge, especially in the financial aspects of farm business management.

Read more: Jack Cooper claims the Business Skills award

“I would definitely encourage others to enter the AgriScot Business Skills Competition.”

The competition is supported and facilitated by Heather Kerr, a lecturer at SRUC. Thanks to the efforts of Heather and her predecessor, many of the finalists and winners in previous years have come from the various SRUC campuses.

Organisers are hopeful that SRUC students will continue to enter the competition in significant numbers but are also working to encourage young people from other educational institutions, modern apprenticeships, and those already in the workplace to enter.

Mr Neill continued: “I would love to see young people from colleges, universities, young farmers clubs and agricultural businesses all over the country putting themselves forward for this competition. In fact, I would lay down a direct challenge to establishments like Harper Adams, RAU Cirencester and organisations such as SAYFC to encourage their students, graduates and members to enter this invaluable competition.”

Interested competitors are encouraged to email info@agriscot.co.uk for details on the essay topic for initial competition entry.