The Farmer/Barclays Farming for the Future competition has been launched – have you got what it takes to win?

As the global population increases and demands on finite land resources increase, farmers and food producers in the region have a crucial role to play.

Farming businesses are having to expand and develop innovative new systems to cope with the challenges ahead and to celebrate this remarkable industry The Farmer in conjunction with Barclays is launching The Farmer/Barclays Farming for the Future competition.

This new award will recognise farmers and farming businesses that have the vision and commitment to meet the challenges ahead. You might just have started up a successful diversification enterprise, won new customers, got involved with the community, expanded your dairy enterprise or perhaps formed a joint venture with your neighbours to cut costs and facilitate growth. Whatever you are doing to secure your farm for the future we want to hear about it.

If you think you have what it takes to earn the title ‘Farming for the Future’ enter our competition and you could be the lucky winner of a cheque for £1,000.

Nominations will be accepted until the end of 2011 but send in your entry as soon as possible as we will be announcing monthly winners from November to February in the run up to a grand final in Spring 2012. Monthly prizes will be awarded and the overall winner will be announced at a special finalists’ luncheon.

You can enter our competition or nominate someone else by completing the application form here and posting it to Heather Jones, The Farmer, Shropshire Star, Ketley, Telford, TF1 5HU. Entries must reach us by December 31st, 2011 or you can email your details as per the form marking COMPETITION in the subject box to thefarmer@shropshirestar.co.uk.

The competition is open to individuals and farming businesses in the circulation are of  The Farmer which covers which covers Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Mid Wales

“There are many visionary farmers and farm workers out there and we want to encourage and support them as they build a secure future for their farming business so we are delighted to join The Farmer to launch the Farming for The Future competition,” said Craig Sigley, Area Manager for Barclays North Wales and Midlands Agriculture Team.

Heather Jones, editor of The Farmer added: “We are very excited about this competition and we hope as many people as possible will enter.

“We will be featuring some of the best entries in The Farmer in the months ahead and who knows what other recognition the title could bring to the winner.”

The competition will be judged by Heather Jones Editor of the Farmer, Craig Sigley of Barclays Business Agriculture and Dr David Llewellyn, principal of Harper Adams University College.

Barclays Business Agriculture

Launches ‘Farming for the Future’ competition.

Barclays Business Agriculture understand the ever increasing need for forward planning to help farms to stay successful, both for this generation of farmers and for those of the future.

There are many visionary farmers and farm workers out there and they are looking at diversification, intensification, getting closer links with their local communities and investing in new technologies – amongst many other innovative and entrepreneurial enterprises and schemes.

Barclays wants to encourage and support the forward thinking farmer and so it has launched the ‘Farming for the Future’ competition. Nominations will be accepted until the end of 2011 with monthly winners, as chosen by our panel of judges, being announced in November, December and in January and February next year. These four winners will then be invited to an awards lunch and one overall winner will be announced, receiving a cheque for £1000.

Entry Form Farming for the Future competition

How to enter:-

To be in with a chance of winning, simply complete the entry form with your contact details and send it to Heather Jones, The Farmer, Shropshire Star, Ketley, Telford, TF1 5HU. Entries must reach us by December 31st, 2011.

Nominee / Business name…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Business address ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

………………………………………………………………………………….Postcode………………………………………

Trading status (sole trader / partnership / ltd company)

Contact name …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Contact telephone number ……………………………………………Mobile ………………………………………….

Contact email address………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Name of person making the nomination (if different from above) ……………………………………………..

Contact details (if different from above) ………………………………………………………………………………..

In no more than 400 words please describe why you feel this person or

business deserves the Barclays Farming for the Future Award.

Signed …………………………………………………..Date ……………………………………………

RULES

1. The competition is open to entrants aged 18 or over, excluding employees and past employees of Barclays Bank PLC, The Farmer, Midland News Association and any associated companies and their immediate families or anyone materially connected to the administration of the competition.

The competition is open to farmers and farming businesses within The Farmer circulation area which covers Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Mid Wales.

2. There will be four monthly prizes of a bottle of champagne and an overall winner’s prize of £1000.

3. Closing date for the receipt of competition entries is 31 December 2011. No responsibility will be taken for entries lost, damaged, incomplete or illegible. Proof of posting will not be accepted as proof of delivery. Entries may be disqualified if incomplete or illegible.

4 Information on the entries will be shared between MNA as the media partner and Barclays as sponsor, but not passed on to any other outside companies.

5. Judging will be supervised by a panel of judges . The prizes will be awarded by the panel of judges to the most outstanding entries, at their sole discretion. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

6.. The winner of the overall cash prize will be announced at a finalists’ luncheon

7. The Farmer/Barclays Bank PLC reserves the right to publish the name, photographs, and county of the winners and publicise the prize-giving presentation after the date of the competition

8. All entrants to the competition will be deemed to have accepted these rules which are governed by English law.

9. The Farmer/Barclays Bank PLC retain the copyright on all entries.

10 The competition may be promoted in other Midland News Association promotions before the closing date.

11. The competition is sponsored by Barclays who will provide the prizes.  In the event that the prizes offered are unavailable due to circumstances beyond their control, they reserve the right to offer an alternative prize.”