Farming businesses in Fife, Angus and Perthshire are among the finalists in the Scottish Rural Awards.
Venison processors Downfield Farm in Fife, Incheoch Farms at Alyth, SoilEssentials in Angus, and The Buffalo Farm and Kingdom Farming at Kirkcaldy have all been nominated in the competition’s Best Farming Business award.
The Best Rural Innovation award nominations include SoilEssentials, and East of Scotland Growers’ spin-off company, Growers Garden, for their novel range of vegetable crisps.
In the Rural Diversification category the shortlist includes the small-scale growers food outlet, Bowhouse on Balcaskie Estate near St Monans, the farm shops at Cardross and Balgove Larder as well as Newton Farm holidays and tours at Inverarity.
Strathtyrum Estate in Fife, Balgove Larder and Loch Leven’s Larder are nominated in the Best Rural Employer category, and the most sustainable rural businesses award includes Cardross and Ben Cruachan Power Station. The Best Scottish Artisan Drink award is between Kingsbarns Distillery, Redcastle Spirits, Buck and Birch, Highland Boundary, Gin Bothy and Slainteach.
Judges for the award include Alan Laidlaw, the chief executive of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and Charlie Shentall of The Lodge at Perth Racecourse.
Those who have made special contributions to the Scottish countryside will also be honoured with two additional awards, the Rural Hero award and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The winners and runners-up in each award will be announced at a gala dinner hosted by Perthshire comedian Jim Smith at the Glasgow Hilton in April.
nnicolson@thecourier.co.uk
