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SAC Students and Graduates Compete for Agriscot Business Skills Award

Wednesdays AgriScot Event at Ingliston will be a particularly tense time for one group of young people. Following the regional semi finals of the Agriscot 2011 Business Skills competition, the three finalists who will compete for the title and the £1,000 first prize put up by sponsors, Biocell, Agri Ltd have been chosen. All three have strong SAC connections.

Facing the final judging panel on Wednesday will be Donald Millar, Trailflat Farm, Lochmaben, Esko Johnston, Balnamoon, Keith and Bruce Ingram, Logie Durno, Inverurie.

Entrants submitted a CV and 200-250 words on “The importance of producing a balance sheet to assess the financial structure of a business”. Semi finalists visited farms in the North, East and West of Scotland. They received a briefing and toured the farm with judges, stopping to discuss aspects of the farm enterprises.

This afternoon our three finalists will be allocated a new product being launched at the show which they will be required to assess and evaluate. There will be a dinner with the sponsors that evening and overnight accommodation provided. Tomorrow comes an interview with the judges where they present their evaluation of the new product, in addition to answering questions on business management skills and topical agri-business issues.

Organiser of the Business Skills award, Bill Dingwall of SAC said the finalists had won through after a rigorous examination of their business skills.

“It is rewarding to see two of last year’s unsuccessful competitors put their previous experience to good use and come back and win through to the final this time.”

Donald Millar graduated from SAC in July this year and currently works on the family dairy farm but is looking to pursue a career in agriculture either in management or as a consultant. During his time in Edinburgh, he was president of the Edinburgh Agrics’ Society. He competed in last year’s Business Skills competition reaching the semi final stage.

Esko Johnston who is currently a third year student at SAC also competed in last year’s event. He has been instrumental in introducing and managing a “bed and breakfast” pig enterprise at Balnamoon where he has also worked with both the sheep and cattle enterprises.

Bruce Ingram is currently studying at SAC Craibstone for an honours degree in agriculture and is also involved in the family farm where his responsibilities include working with livestock and completing the paperwork involved in today’s farming. He is an active member of Udny Young Farmers.

The panel grilling the three will consist of Sandy Ramsay, Head of SAC Farm Business Services, John Kinnaird, AgriScot Director and Ian Hope, Partner with Hayes MacFarlane Rural Consultants. Presentation of the award will be made in the Main Ring at 1.00 pm.

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