The Virginia FAIRS Agricultural and Forestry Innovation Challenge “Bull Pen” is an entrepreneurial and innovation competition for eligible businesses across the Commonwealth.
The competition’s purpose is to encourage and facilitate agricultural and forestry entrepreneurship for the benefit of industry and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The competition provides a platform to help contestants develop and promote their enterprise proposals, expose their proposals to professional review and critique and compete for cash prizes.
The Bull Pen has successfully facilitated entrepreneur development and competition for the past three years. Virginia FAIRS is reevaluating the Bull Pen competition to create program enhancements that will build on the contest’s previous success and encourage participation from even more entrepreneurs. To this end, the annual Bull Pen competition is postponed until 2026. Please refer to this website for information regarding competition developments and dates.
2024 BULL PEN WINNER
Sedley, Virginia
Agricision, Inc. is a farmer-led agricultural software and drone manufacturing company devoted to transforming the way drones and farming work together. Driven by the core values of precision, efficiency, and sustainability, Agricision is dedicated to empowering the hands that feed the world with cutting-edge solutions.
2024 BULL PEN RUNNER-UP
Bremo Bluff, Virginia
Edgewood Apiaries, LLC is a growing producer of premium, nectar-specific Virginia honey and hive-based products, including soaps, lotions, and candles. One of its key strategies for achieving production growth necessary to meet strong local honey demand involves buying honey from a network of small Virginia honey producers and promoting transparency through Edgewood’s innovative concept of “high information” labeling and videos connecting consumers with the original beekeepers.
2024 BULL PEN PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD
Orange, Virginia
Samurai Creatives, LLC offers unique, high-quality vessels and exquisite ikebana vases imported from Japan, paired with locally grown floral arrangements. Specializing in customized floral installations and professional development workshops, they focus on fostering creativity and well-being, while their sustainable products promote local agriculture and craftsmanship.
2024 BULL PEN FINALISTS
2023 BULL PEN WINNER
NTP Technologies
Midlothian, VA
2022 BULL PEN WINNER
Seven Hills Food Company
Lynchburg, Virginia
2022 Bull Pen Runner-Up
Agricision, Inc.
2022 Bull Pen People’s Choice Winner
Smoke in Chimneys
2024 SPONSORS
The 2024 Virginia FAIRS Agricultural and Forestry Innovation Challenge is sponsored by:
