Could you be the top poultry farmer?

Time is running out for poultry producers to get their entries in for the 2011 Farmers Weekly Poultry Farmer of the Year award.

The closing date is 30 April and we want to hear from producers in any sector of the poultry industry who believe they can demonstrate excellence.

In particular, the judges will be looking for top performance in the areas of business and technical management, environmental awareness and animal welfare.

The competition is open to businesses of any size and shape. Scale is not important.

Winning the award can be a great way of bolstering your business, as previous winners have found out. “It has opened opportunities and created positive interest from all sectors of the industry,” said last year’s winners, Elwyn and Gareth Griffiths of Oaklands Farm Eggs.

It can also pave the way for a great night out in London. All three finalists, plus their partners, will be invited to the Farmers Weekly gala ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane on 6 October, along with over 1,000 other stakeholders in the farming industry.

Entering is dead easy. Simply go to the Farmers Weekly Awards page. Then click on the Poultry Farmer of the Year category to download an entry form.

Or if you wish to nominate someone for the award, visit the awards site and click on “nominate”.

For every nomination you make, you will be entered into a free draw for two tickets to the awards night in London.

The closing date is the end of the month, so don’t delay in putting yourself or someone else forward for this top award.