Applications open for £10,000 OFC/RASE applied science award

Researchers behind science projects contributing to on-farm improvements are being encouraged to enter the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) and Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) Practice with Science Award sponsored by AB Agri. The award was announced at the Cereals Event today.

The £10,000 Award will recognise applied scientific work that has resulted in valuable benefits to practical agriculture and farm performance.
"The aim of this award is to recognise the often hidden scientific work delivering practical benefits to farming," explains Dr Tina Barsby, an OFC Director and Chief Executive of NIAB.

The award was founded four years ago to fill an important "recognition gap" according to Dr Barsby. "The researchers working on practical solutions to everyday farming often get missed in the roll call when it comes acknowledgment and reward because the evaluation of research usually ranks scientific achievement by novelty rather than by application. However, all practical agriculturalists realise that it is the transfer of scientific knowledge into practical application that is key to driving innovation in the industry."

The winner of the award in 2013 was A potato modelling system, developed by NIAB CUF, the tool forecasts yield and tuber size, providing valuable data to the potato supply chain, to aid both in-field management and processing.

The Award is funded by the OFC and the RASE with additional sponsored support from AB Agri. It aims to encourage and distinguish new thinking and innovation and is open to academics, researchers and commercial company employees.

The £10,000 prize is split with £3,000 - funded by AB Agri - being presented to the lead individual and £7,000, funded by the RASE and the OFC, to the institution or business the researcher works for.  The latter monies will be used to support further research work into the subject, through the support of a studentship, traineeship or the purchase of a piece of research equipment.

RASE Chief Executive David Gardner adds: “As a charity committed to Innovation for Agriculture the Society sees great merit in the OFC/RASE Practice with Science Award. Sustainable intensification will be delivered by implementing new science and technology, the type of farm-focused R&D that is entered into this award is exactly what's needed to enable the farm progress needed over the coming years."

Commenting on their support for the Award, David Yiend of AB Agri said: "Sustainable food production seeks to ensure that everyone has enough safe and nutritious food to eat, both now and in the future. This involves producing more food with fewer resources, learning from and enabling others in the supply chain and enhancing the natural assets that are linked with food production. If we are to meet these challenges we must not only prioritise investment into research and development, but also actively encourage scientific development that can be effectively and efficiently commercialised."

"We expect our scientists to find innovative solutions to highly complex global challenges, but we all have an important supporting role to play. Businesses right along the food supply chain need to work together in partnership with NGOs, Government and the Media to better communicate the opportunities that sound science offers Society."

"AB Agri is hugely proud to support the ‘Science in Practice’ Award. This award seeks to give scientists a platform to celebrate success and illustrate the important role that they will continue to play in delivering global food security."

The application form is available here, the closing date is 13 September 2014. The winner will be presented with the award at the 2015 Oxford Farming Conference where they will be expected to present a short précis of their winning project. The 2015 Oxford Farming Conference will take place on the 6-8 January.