Members of Britain’s hard-working farming and agricultural communities will now have a chance to earn the recognition they deserve, by entering the country’s first ever awards specifically for rural businesses.

The inaugural Rural Business Awards will be held in 2015 at Stapleford Park and Hall in Leicestershire.

The brainchild of Be Rural founder Jemma Clifford and management consultant Anna Price, they are also supported by the Countryside Land & Business Association (CLA) and sponsored by the Sturgess Motor Group.

There are ten categories in the awards, with some specifically aimed at the farming and agricultural sector.

One category is for The Most Outstanding Farm Diversification Project. Judges want to hear about projects completed in the last two years, with entrants asked to consider:

• How and why did you decide to diversify?

• Demonstrate success – whatever that looks like to you

They will also be asked to show growth and commitment to the rural sector through:

• Job creation

• Contribution to the rural and wider business economy

• Service and Infrastructure development

• The impact on communities or people

• How your product, service, project or offering makes life easier or better for people living or working in rural locations

There will also be a chance for agricultural inventors to shine in the Most Impactful Agricultural Innovation category, which could be across machinery, engineering, processing, agrichemicals, farming or service. Judges will be considering the following:

• How does this innovation address a gap in the market?

• What is new and unique about the innovation?

• Why is it different?

• How does it benefit the end-user?

• Describe the process of innovation

As with other awards, they also want to see innovations which demonstrate growth and commitment to the rural sector through:

• Job creation

• contribution to the rural and wider business economy

• service and infrastructure development

• The impact on communities or people

• How the product, service, project or offering makes life easier or better for people living or working in rural locations

The Rural Business Awards aims to put more focus on the many British businesses which choose not to base themselves in the big cities, instead bringing greater diversity and economic prosperity into the great British countryside.

Farms or other rural enterprises entering the awards will get a chance to gain recognition in the countryside sector of British economic life, which is all too often overlooked despite making a huge positive impact on the country’s finances.

Rural Business Awards joint founder Jemma Clifford says:

“Businesses in the agricultural sector work really hard but rarely find the time to seek recognition for their achievements. The Rural Business Awards will acknowledge the vital contribution rural companies make, encourage the countryside’s superb entrepreneurial spirit and recognise business excellence within the rural sector. I’d urge you to take some time to complete the application process – and if you can’t find the time, get in touch with us and hopefully we’ll be able to help you complete the process.

“We are celebrating ten categories from farm diversification and agricultural innovation to rural manufacturing and start-up businesses. The awards will be judged by an independent panel of judges, including CLA Director General Helen Woolley, and we are encouraging all businesses, whatever their size and UK location to get involved in the Rural Business Awards.”

CLA Director General Helen Woolley says:

“We are delighted to support these awards. It is vitally important we recognise the innovation and excellence that I see present every day in businesses across the countryside. These awards will showcase some of the inspirational businesses that we can all learn from.”

There is an easy online application process for entering the awards, for each category of which there is a nominal £50 entry fee. Businesses can nominate themselves or someone else, and entries must be in by 5pm on August 7, 2015, with postal entries postmarked no later than this date. There will be an awards ceremony on October 1, 2015, at the Grade 1 listed Stapleford Park and Hall in Leicestershire. For more information about the awards and how to enter, visit www.ruralbusinessawards.co.uk

The Rural Business Awards ten categories consist of:

1. Best New Rural Start-up

2. People’s Choice Award

3. Best Renewable Energy Project

4. Outstanding Farm Diversification Project

5. Best Rural Apparel Product or Brand

6. Outstanding Agricultural Innovation

7. Outstanding Manufacturing Business

8. Best Rural Professional Services Business

9. Best Rural Construction Project

10. Best Rural Field Sport, Equestrian or Rural Recreational Business