The Soil Association is delighted to announce that the deadline for their Innovation Awards has been extended until Tuesday August 26. Now in their second year, the awards showcase the most innovative approaches to sustainable, low-impact farming and growing.

The awards – sponsored by the Soil Association’s Duchy Originals Future Farming Programme – celebrate pioneering ideas in farming and growing across the UK. The award focuses on innovations that benefit the environment, health or animal welfare.

The awards are open to anyone involved in farming and growing, for example producers, scientists, farming consultants, designers, community groups, and engineers. The shortlisted nominees will be presenting to some of the most influential people in the field of sustainable agriculture today. A short list of innovators will be invited pitch their approach at the Soil Association’s Annual Conference in Swindon on the 9th October 2014.

Tom MacMillan, Soil Association director of innovation, said; “The Soil Association’s Innovation Awards celebrate agriculture’s dogged pioneers –people with the vision and persistence to see ideas through that will help farming and growing thrive in the face of climate change, resource pressures and changing public expectations. The awards were hugely inspiring last year and it is an extraordinary privilege to meet a number of farmers, growers and entrepreneurs who are leading the way in farming.”

The total prize fund is £3,000; the winning entry, decided by live voting at the Soil Association Annual Conference, will receive a £2,000 cash prize. The top three entries that receive the most votes will go through to the Tractor Factor public vote which will be decided by Waitrose customers through their weekly newspaper Waitrose Weekend. This winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize.

Entries are open until August 26 2014. More details on the Innovation Award and how to enter can be found at www.soilassociation.org/innovationaward