AgriScot has launched the 2025 Business Skills Award, marking 15 years of the prestigious competition, with a top prize of £1,000 for the winner, kindly sponsored by Virgin Money.
A competition for aspiring agricultural professionals between 18 and 25 years of age from across the UK, this year’s topic will focus on ‘How should farm businesses adapt to take advantage of future opportunities?’.
Heather Kerr from SRUC will coordinate the competition.
“It’s exciting for SRUC to be part of the Business Skills Award again. Every year brings such impressive applications from passionate young professionals. Looking back over 15 years, it’s wonderful to see how many former participants are now thriving in agricultural careers.
“This year’s theme reflects the rapidly changing agricultural landscape, with emerging technologies, climate challenges, and market shifts creating new opportunities for innovative farm businesses.”
Applications will close at 4pm on Friday 3rd October, with candidates being asked to submit a CV and entry statement.
The selection process will see semi-finalists compete in regional heats at farms in Aberdeenshire and Biggar during mid-October, before six finalists advance to the AgriScot event for the final competition where the winner will be presented with a cheque for £1,000, and two runners up will each receive £250.
The AgriScot event will take place on Wednesday 19th November at The Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, with Gilmour Lawrie taking up the role of chair for the first time this year.
“The Business Skills Award represents everything that’s exciting about Agriculture’s future. In my first year as chair, I’m particularly pleased to see this year’s theme challenging young people to think about adaptation and opportunity – these are exactly the skills our industry needs as we move forward.”
Last year’s winner Bruce Adkin from Dumfries and Galloway encourages anyone thinking about applying to go for it.
“It was all such a good, enjoyable and rewarding experience and I would recommend anyone to enter. It was a fantastic opportunity to improve myself and my business acumen, and a great challenge to be part of the heats.”
This is the first year that Virgin Money has sponsored the competition with Stephen Buchan, Head of Agriculture Scotland explaining why it was keen to support this award in particular.
“The future of agriculture depends on the skills and ambition of young people, and the AgriScot Business Skills Award 2025 provides an excellent platform to showcase the next generation of talent in Scottish farming.
“At Virgin Money, we are committed to supporting ambitious young people who bring energy, innovation and fresh thinking to the industry. This initiative underlines our long-term dedication to ensuring Scotland’s agricultural sector continues to grow and thrive.”
To find out more about the 2025 Business Skills Award, go to www.agriscot.co.uk/business-skills-award