Farmers Weekly Awards: Last chance to enter

Closing date for entries into the 2011 Farmers Weekly Awards is 30 April.

The sponsors of this year’s awards have called for farmers to step forward and showcase the quality of their workforces and celebrate the success of British farming.

During a meeting at Warwick Castle, the sponsors described the 2011 awards as a unique opportunity to get messages across about the farming industry.

Farmers are well positioned to reach new heights after a year in which agriculture has found itself back in the headlines.

“Celebrating success, telling positive stories and producing champions is why we sponsor the awards,” said NFU president Peter Kendall.

And that can’t be left for someone else to do, he added.

“The awards are a great vehicle for farmers to be able to talk to people outside of the farming community about what we do,” Paul Bee of British Sugar told Farmers Weekly.

But he said it was not all about the image of an industry. It was also an opportunity to meet people and open doors to new business relationships.

Progressive, forward-looking and thinking about their whole business, was how David Warrington of NWF Agriculture described the past awards winners he had met.

“We want to be working with these people,” he said.

Despite spending their life giving to the farming industry, Harry Wilson, Farmers Weekly Contractor of the Year 2010 felt the awards put their efforts into perspective.

“It has made us realise how much we have to give back to the farming industry”, he said.

The sponsors this year also felt they had learned from their experience in meeting previous winners.

Nominate your staff

Farmers should remember to give some of their best investments a pat on the back this year by entering their staff for the 2011 Farm Worker of the Year award.

Farm workers are at the sharp end of British farming, but are too often the unsung heroes. This award gives you an opportunity to recognise their hard work and commitment.

If you are still in doubt as to whether you should be entering the awards this year, or if you know of a friend or colleague, but aren’t sure whether they qualify, take a look at these videos.