A NEW award has been launched to celebrate bright ideas in the countryside.

The young agricultural entrepreneur award, which offers £2,000 to invest in a business, is a joint venture between law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys, property consultants Bruton Knowles and the Three Counties Agricultural Society.

It debuted at the Royal Three Counties Show and aims to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and creative thinking of young people in the agricultural industry.

Mary Wathen, partner in the agricultural and rural affairs team at Harrison Clark Rickerbys, said: " With a farming background myself, I know only too well how the lifestyle has changed over recent years. Farms have developed into businesses which need a great deal of specialist know-how to maintain. Knowledge of the land and the livestock passed down from one generation to another, now have to be supplemented by business acumen to ensure prosperity and growth. At Harrison Clark Rickerbys we are very proud of our links with the local community and our extensive experience with rural issues strengthens that connection. We hope that the award will play a part in encouraging entrepreneurs to keep moving forward with their enterprises and to give well deserved recognition to those that work hard.”

Ken Nottage, chief executive of the TCAS, added: "As an agricultural society founded in 1797 it maybe goes without saying that the society, along with our flagship event the Royal Three Counties Show in June, has a unique heritage that is inseparable from the development of agriculture in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. But you can’t afford to rest on your laurels in farming. What really matters is the future which is what this award is all about - by supporting the next generation tackle the challenges faced in agriculture today, we are helping to ensure the industry remains current and relevant as the agricultural landscape changes.”

For more information about how to win £2,000 to invest in the future of a business, visit: www.yaeawards.co.uk