Awards to help out rural achievers

APPLICATIONS are now open for awards designed to promote agriculture.

The Ballarat Rural Achiever Awards are looking for nominations and there’s prize money on offer to further young people’s careers in the agricultural sector.

There has been a five-year hiatus between the last awards due to a lack of volunteers and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year there’s seven award categories with the prize values ranging from $50 to $1000.

“The rural achiever awards were created about 16 years ago and it was just one award that was presented,” said volunteer organiser Kerri Gallagher.

“We found the need for more awards and there was a real thirst within the rural community for us to further develop the awards.

“We’re trying to provide awards for a broad section of the rural sector.”

Entrants must be located within 100 kilometres of Ballarat and be working within the rural sector, with prize money designed to help with career advancement.

“I think there’s a lack of recognition in the region at present for what’s being achieved in agriculture, so our goal is to find, highlight and rewards farmers and industry providers for what they’re achieving,” Ms Gallagher said.

“Without the next generation coming through there is no future in agriculture and we want to highlight the opportunities that there are.”

Entries close at 5pm on Wednesday, 12 April with an awards dinner on Friday, 28 April. To enter visit www.ballaratshow.org.au.