The finalists are Sophie Hansen from Orange, Fiona Mead from Narrabri, Aimee Snowden from Tocumwal and Hannah Wandel from Kingston ACT.

Sophie’s project, My Open Kitchen,  focuses on providing an innovative, self-paced online, social media learning course for Australian farmers and farming communities.

It will give them the skills they need to take advantage of free social media channels and through these tell their stories, promote their produce and make new and valuable connections.

My Open Kitchen assists anyone involved in primary industries to use social media channels to build social and professional capital, which, in turn, delivers transparency, engagement, trust and,   ultimately, financial returns.

Fiona’s Rural New Generation Project aims to encourage younger farmers by helping them aquire agricultural knowledge and skills, while Aimee’s ambition is to increase agricultural literacy in primary school children using Lego as an educational tool.

Hannah aims to implement leadership programs for girls in years 9 and 10 at rural secondary schools through Project Empower.

“This year’s finalists are changing the way we do business in the state’s primary industries sector and are making massive contributions to our industries and communities,” Mr Blair said.

“They join an esteemed group of women who have been finalists in this prestigious award over the course of the last 16 years, and continue to work tirelessly to improve our rural communities and primary industries.”

The winner of the 2016 NSW-ACT RIRDC Rural Women’s Award will receive a bursary of $10,000 and participate in an Australian Institute of Company Directors’ course. 

The four finalists will receive a $1000 bursary from the NSW Department of Primary Industries for skills and leadership development.

The winners of the 2016 NSW-ACT RIRDC Rural Women's Award will be announced in March at Parliament House in Sydney.

 The NSW-ACT winner will compete for the National RIRDC Rural Women’s Award on 12 October at Parliament House, Canberra.