The Farmers Club Pinnacle Awards, now in their 26th year, are a regular fixture in the academic calendar and present a unique challenge for students to demonstrate their potential.
Eight students studying and preparing to work in rural and land based industries compete as finalists for the top prizes in The Farmers Club Pinnacle Awards. These Awards provide students who are planning to work in the agricultural industry an opportunity to demonstrate their potential and receive a valuable cash prize. Students who enter are encouraged to develop innovative, competitive and realistic business strategies that also meet the wider environmental requirements.
Participation should involve very little additional work. Tutors select and submit up to two projects which may form part of normal coursework. These are assessed against defined criteria and aims of the award scheme by a panel of judges from The Farmers Club, ADAS and The Cave Foundation. The panel is currently chaired by Professor Nigel Scollan.
Short listed students are invited to The Farmers Club in London for an interview and powerpoint presentation of their project. The prizes are presented to the top 3 at a formal dinner on the same day with the panel, friends, families and lecturers.
A total of £3,600 in prizes for the Awards is most generously donated by The Cave Foundation. Administration and other support is given by ADAS and The Farmers Club.
The purpose of the Awards is to:
- Stimulate and encourage an innovative approach to business management within a context of productive farming which minimises environmental impact.
- Provide encouragement to students to develop and enhance their knowledge and application of budgeting, financial assessment, commercial viability and the environment.
- Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the issues involved in securing our food and enhancing the environment
- Develop problem-solving skills
- Provide an opportunity for students to develop communication andpresentation skills.
Who can enter?
The awards are open to full-time students on a college or university coursethat is related to the rural economy who will complete a practically based business related project as part of their course during the academic year 2024/2025.
Students are entered on the recommendation of their college or university as having undertaken a project of a high standard which is suitable for assessment in competition with others.
The project may form part of normal course work. Entries from group based projects are permitted, with the interview and presentation being open to only one member of the group.
How to Register
Registration is in two stages:
- Initial interest in submitting entries for the awards must be made by (Date to be confirmed)
- Submission of the entry including full contact details of the student and tutor to be received by (Date to be confirmed). Electronic submissions in Word, Excel or PDF format are preferred although printed entries will be accepted.
Entries received after the cut off date may be excluded from the competition.
Prizes
All eight finalists will be invited to final judging and award presentation at The Farmers Club on (Date to be confirmed). The presentations will be made at theformal dinner on the same day.
- First place receives the Nickerson Cup and The Farmers Club GOLD Student Pinnacle Award of £2000.
- Second place receives The Farmers Club SILVER Student Pinnacle Award of £1000.
- Third place receives The Farmers Club BRONZE Student Pinnacle Award of £600.
Finalists' accommodation on (Date to be confirmed), dinner and continental breakfast the next day, is complimentary.
Assessment Criteria
Initially entries are assessed on the written project. For those students who are shortlisted, there will be personal interviews and presentations held in a competitive environment.
All entries:
- Investigation and identification of issues and priorities
- Understanding of the full range of business management skill balanced with a need to produce food and enhance the environment.
- Appropriateness and innovation of the proposals
- Methodology, and accuracy of the supporting data.
- Recommendations for follow up actions and progress monitoring.
- Finalists will also be assessed on their Interview and presentation skills.
Further information about the awards can be obtained from Josh Brook, Pinnacle Awards Administrator at ADAS on Tel: 07443 191 844, josh.brook@adas.co.uk or by visiting www.adas.co.uk