Soil Association launches second Innovation Awards

The Soil Association has announced that their Innovation Awards are open for nominations. Now in their second year, the awards celebrate pioneering ideas in farming and growing across the UK. They focus on innovations that benefit the environment, health or animal welfare and are open to anyone involved in farming and growing - for example producers, scientists, farming consultants, designers, community groups, and engineers. Entries are open until 17th August. The shortlisted nominees will be presenting to some of the most influential people in the field of sustainable agriculture today and will be invited to pitch their approach at the Soil Association’s Annual Conference in Swindon on 9 October 2014. More details on the Innovation Award and how to enter can be found here. 

The winner of the first Soil Association Innovation Awards in 2013 Natalie Davies, Managing Director of Ezee Tree Limited (see picture) said, “Winning the Soil Association’s Innovation Award 2013 has been a massive boost to our business, not only the prize money which gave us a great cash injection but the positive PR and confidence the award gave people in our product. The award also gave the team a great morale boost, as it is hard work developing a product from scratch and having to trial it for 4 years before you can launch, which we did in July 2013. I definitely recommend entering not only for the experience and chance to win but also for the contacts you will make.”

Innovation is at the heart of the work of the Soil Association. The Duchy Originals Future Farming Programme, delivered by the Soil Association, aims to boost innovation in organic and other low-input farming systems to deliver improved productivity and give environmental benefits.