AgriScot launches new silage award for 25th year

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AgriScot Introduces New Silage Award for 25th Anniversary

Annual competition by Watson Seeds adds overall winner category, with entries open until October 23, 2026.

The AgriScot annual silage competition, sponsored and run by Watson Seeds, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year by introducing a new overall winner category. This addition aims to recognise exceptional silage production across Scotland. The competition, which has been entered by more than 3,000 farmers since it began, is the longest running of its kind in the UK, receiving hundreds of applications annually.

Silage entries will be judged across four categories: Young Farmer (for those aged 30 and under), Beef Clamp, Dairy Clamp, and Big Bale. The judging process comprises two stages: an initial paper assessment based on a silage analysis, followed by a physical evaluation of silage samples. The finalists will be judged live at AgriScot on Wednesday 18th November 2026, where the new overall winner will be selected from the four category winners.

Andrew Best, Seed Specialist at Watson Seeds, who has organised the competition and its prize sponsorship for over five years, expects variability in silage quality this year. He noted that those who took an early first cut likely benefited from strong spring growth, resulting in good quality silage. Conversely, later cuts in some regions were affected by prolonged drought, impacting both yield and quality as grass became stressed and lost feeding value.

Mr Best added: “I always look forward to seeing the competition entries. It highlights the value of understanding your silage so you can adjust supplement according to the changing weather conditions. It is a competition which recognises the input and hard work that goes into making silage, as well as the importance of knowing its quality and the impact this has on livestock nutrition.”

This year’s judge is John Jamieson of Firth Farming, Upper Locharwoods, who won Sustainable Farm of the Year at last year’s Scottish Agriculture Awards. Mr Jamieson has a long history with AgriScot, having exhibited cattle and competed in the Silage Competition since its inception.

Speaking about his role, John Jamieson said: “What an honour it is to be asked to judge the AgriScot Silage Competition, especially in its 25th anniversary year. Having exhibited cattle and competed in the Silage Competition myself since it began, it’s a real privilege to now be on the other side of the fence. Good soil health, together with resilient grasses and legumes, will be increasingly important if we are to sustain our livestock sector and our industry going forward.”

The competition’s first stage involves entrants submitting their silage analysis report by email, including the cut date. Judges will assess each entry based on metabolisable energy, crude protein, and dry matter. The top five entries in each category will proceed to a second round of chemical analysis, narrowing the field to three finalists per class. In the second stage, these three finalists provide fresh silage samples for live judging in the AgriScot ring on Wednesday 18th November. John Jamieson will select the winners and explain his decisions during the event.

Category winners will be awarded 10 acres of any Watson Seeds Castle Mixture, with second and third place receiving five and two acres respectively. To enter, competitors must secure permission from the silage owner and confirm the silage will be available for fresh sampling if it reaches the final stage. Entries for the first stage are open and must be submitted by Friday 23rd October 2026 to Andrew Best at abest@watsonseeds.com. Further details can be found at www.agriscot.co.uk.

For those interested in attending AgriScot, free entry registration is available on the AgriScot website, which features over 240 exhibitors covering various agricultural sectors.