The owner of a farm and water sports business on the banks of Loch Lomond is the winner of this year’s UK NEWBIE award for the best new farming entrant.
Chris Scott-Park returned from university eight years ago to diversify his family’s organic beef farm at Portnellan which now offers boat tours of Loch Lomond, kayaking and paddle boarding as well as a renovated self-catered farm cottage.
The NEWBIE project explores business models for innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience in European agriculture as part of a suite of opportunities aiming to help new farmers, crofters and small-holders network and develop successful businesses.
Award
As part of the award, Chris will receive €500 towards the cost of training or an international visit as well as the opportunity to participate in the final NEWBIE conference this month with other award winners and project stakeholders in France.
Other finalists included Ellie Banwell’s Scrumptious Garden, Sarah and Hugh Asher of Darach Croft, Bryde and Nat’s Falkland Kitchen Farm and Mhairi Player’s Berwick Wood Produce.
Barriers
Dr Rachel Creaney, social researcher in the NEWBIE project at the James Hutton Institute, said: “New entrants to farming can face a large number of barriers to start and establish themselves with successful farming businesses.
“Chris and all of the other finalists showed a great deal of innovation in how they have used their previous skills and taken on new opportunities to carve out successful farm businesses”.
Award winners from partnering European countries will be encouraged to share their experiences through the final conference and other networking opportunities provided by the NEWBIE project.
For more information about NEWBIE, see www.newbie-academy.eu.