The Future Farmer Award

Promoting practical ideas for improving the environmental sustainability of farming in Scotland

The Future Farmer Award is a new initiative funded by the Elizabeth Murray Trust. Each year a trailblazing Scottish farmer will be given £4,000 and a package of practical support to help them promote their ideas to other farmers and land managers.

Anyone farming in Scotland who is keen to inspire others to try practical ideas for improving the environmental sustainability of farming is eligible for the Award. Both direct applications and nominations are accepted. The type of approach which the Future Farmer Award seeks to promote include:

• Managing soils to reduce flooding risk
• Integrating native woodland management with grazing livestock
• Choosing crops varieties which are resilient to wet summers
• Developing new ideas for productive and sustainable management of hill ground
• Running farm machinery on farm-produced bio-fuel
• Creating the right conditions for commercially useful 'wild' plants to grow
• Cutting CO2 emissions on-farm and in supply chains

The Award was launched in January 2008. Award applications for 2009 open on January 1st 2009. See here for more information about the award scheme and here for the application form.