Agriculture student wins 2025 AgriScot Business Skills Award

Posted 2 December 2025

A final year Agriculture student from Harper Adams University has won the prestigious Agriscot business competition.

BSc (Hons) Agriculture with Farm Business Management student Rachel Baillie, from Carstairs in South Lanarkshire, was named the Business Skills Award winner at a packed AgriScot event at the Royal Highland Centre.

She said: “I'm really excited to have won the AgriScot Business Skills Award.

“It has really pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I found it particularly interesting to learn other people's opinions and views. I’ve picked up so many new skills and lots of knowledge on everything from global issues to finances on the farm.

“It felt like all my hard work had paid off - I felt really grateful to have had this experience.”

Rachel hopes to secure a career in agricultural consultancy after she graduates next summer, having spent her industry placement year with SAC Consulting.

Having chosen to study at Harper Adams for its integrated placement year, Rachel found her placement an invaluable way to gain experience – with opportunities to shadow consultants and deepen her understanding of the advisory side of the industry.

Now in its 15th year, the 2025 AgriScot Award – which recognises agricultural professionals between 18 and 25 years old -received a record number of applications.

This year’s competition was sponsored by Virgin Money and organised by SRUC, with Rachel clinching £1000 for coming out on top - as well as access to career and financial mentoring and networks.

For students who are seeking to follow in her footsteps next year, she had some simple words of advice: “I would recommend anyone interested to give it a go.

“At the beginning I felt it was a bit out my comfort zone, but the support and mentoring throughout the process made it feel far more achievable and helped me believe in myself!”