- The Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust (NFST) has announced the appointment of the 2022 Nuffield Farming Scholars, six of whom will be exploring topics relevant to arable farming, including regenerative farming methods, cover crops, water management, and carbon markets.
Benjamin Hunt, from Poole, Dorset, is a Catchment Source Manager for Wessex Water where he is responsible for safeguarding and improving water quality, as well as advising farmers regarding land use and farming practices. Throughout his scholarship, Benjamin wants to explore how to create a high integrity soil carbon market between farmers and water companies, in a way that helps both parties become more sustainable and achieve Net Zero.
James Pick grows potatoes, arable crops and Ahiflower alongside his father on their farm near Driffield, Yorkshire. Responsible for much of farm’s activity, he is also managing their farm’s transition to a regenerative farming system across the whole arable operation. One of the more challenging aspects of this has been potato production, requiring very high inputs as well as deep tillage that releases sequestered carbon from soil. For his Scholarship, James will look at how the principles of regenerative agriculture can be used to grow high yielding maincrop potatoes without putting a large strain on resources.
Toby Simpson is a partner in his family’s farming business near Peterborough, which includes 1900 acres of arable fields, stewardship land and managed woodland, in addition to diversification projects. As the farm moves to a more regenerative agricultural system and his knowledge grows, he aims to use his farm as an example to help other farmers adopt regenerative principles. He believes using cover and catch crop methods will be at the forefront of carbon sequestration in the future but understands that information about them is unclear and convoluted. For his scholarship, Toby will focus on cover and catch crops and the opportunities they can provide farmers regarding carbon sequestration, soil health, grazing and pest control.
Chris Taylor is from Usk, Wales, and an agronomist & regional technical advisor at Agrii, advising clients on all aspects of crop management with a view to sustainable output and resilience. He also carries out trial work about innovative cropping, cultivation techniques, cover crops and companion cropping regimes. For his scholarship, Chris will investigate regenerative farming practices to understand if their adoption can make UK farming more resilient, sustainable and environmentally sensitive, as well as feed a growing population and remain profitable.
Helen Wyman, from York, is the Commercial Development Manager at Future Biogas regarding green gas anaerobic digester plants. Recently, she has been instrumental in The Carbon Project, which actively reduces atmospheric CO2, using energy crops grown in a regenerative system, and sequestering it permanently under the North Sea. For her study, she will investigate bioenergy crops and how they address the triple bottom line (the social, environmental and financial aspects of a product) to ensure a fully rounded approach.
Thomas Young, from Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, is an Environmental Systems Manager at STRI, the world’s leading sports turf consultancy. In his role, he helps develop their sustainable and environmental service offering to development and land management sectors, including sustainable water drainage. For his scholarship, Thomas will investigate sustainable water use and, more specifically, its opportunities for agriculture based on cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing. He aims to study sustainable water management practices across several relevant industries in different countries to identify collaboration and knowledge transfer opportunities that can benefit UK agriculture.
The group of 18 Scholars, who come from across UK farming and rural industries, will seek guidance from industry leaders, experts and pioneers as they undertake their studies.
“This year’s intake represents a significant change in direction agriculture is and must take to ensure a sustainable farming future,” says Mike Vacher, Nuffield Farming Director. “Many of our 2022 scholar’s topics are centred around reducing inputs, regenerative principles, improving efficiency, and mitigating climate change in order to help achieve Net Zero.”
“The future of agriculture needs forward-thinking and innovative leaders. This year’s scholars have been selected for demonstrating these traits and the clear passion they possess for their chosen topic.” Mike continues, “solutions these scholars have chosen to investigate span across the breadth of the industry and include, arable, livestock, feed, forage and horticulture.”
“On behalf of Nuffield Farming, I wish the 2022 Scholars the very best of luck as they prepare to start their studies. We are excited to hear more about the knowledge and experiences they gain over the course of their journeys. What they find will help shape the future of UK agriculture,” concludes Mike.
The 18 Scholars, who come from across UK farming and rural industries, will seek inspiration and guidance from industry leaders, experts and pioneers as they undertake their studies.
“British agriculture needs forward-thinking and innovative leaders if we are to overcome the challenges we face today, as well as those of the future,” says Mike Vacher, Director of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust. “This year’s Scholars have been selected for demonstrating these traits and for the clear passion they show for their chosen topic. The issues that these Scholars have chosen to investigate span the breadth of the industry, with a wide range of topics including robotics in dairy farming, renewable energy sources and engaging with consumers.”
“Nuffield Farming Scholars are, and always have been, at the forefront of innovation in farming. With the current challenges around sustainability and the climate, it is no surprise to see that many of these study topics will focus on reducing inputs, regenerative farming practices, production efficiency and resource management.”
“On behalf of Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust, I wish the 2022 Scholars the very best of luck as they prepare to begin their travels,” he concludes. “The knowledge and experiences they bring home will help shape the future of UK Agriculture, and we very much look forward to following their journeys and hearing what they have learned.”
The 2022 Nuffield Farming Scholars are;
Vic Ballantyne (Brora, Scotland)
- Topic: ‘Too fat? A study on female livestock in areas with extreme seasonal variability’
- Generously supported jointly by The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland & Worshipful Company of Farmers with Savills
Olivia Champion (Torquay, Devon)
- Topic: ‘Circular economy principles for the sustainable farming of nutritious insects feed and food ingredients’
- Generously supported by The Richard Lawes Foundation
Oliver Chedgey (Basingstoke, Hampshire)
- Topic: ‘Living the farming ladder’
- Generously supported by The Trehane Trust
Alisdair Cook (Lockerbie, Scotland)
- Topic: ‘Utilisation and impact of robotics on large-scale dairy farms’
- Generously supported by The MacRobert Trust
Elizabeth Cresswell (Farringdon, Oxfordshire)
- Topic: ‘Cattle health schemes: What does success look like?’
- Generously supported by The Central Region Farmers Trust
Kendra Hall (Salisbury, Wiltshire)
- Topic: ‘Building trust in British farming through increased transparency of on-farm livestock production’
- Generously supported jointly by Dartington Cattle Breeding Trust & AHDB
Rob Havard (Droitwich, Worcestershire)
- Topic ‘Evaluation of beef cattle selection methods for profitability in grass-fed production systems’
- Generously supported by Worshipful Company of Butchers
Benjamin Hunt (Poole, Dorset)
- Topic: ‘How to create a local soil carbon market between farmers and utility companies’
- Generously supported by John Oldacre Foundation
Miles Middleton (Leyburn, Yorkshire)
- Topic: ‘Working towards Net Zero in the dairy sector: Trade-offs, opportunity costs and alternative allocations for scarce resources’
- Generously supported by Yorkshire Agricultural Society
Emily Padfield (Southam, Warwickshire)
- Topic: ‘The mob-grazed flerd: Improving soil, biodiversity and farm incomes’
- Generously supported by Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust (a Clyde Higgs Scholarship)
James Pick (Driffield, Yorkshire)
- Topic: ‘Can maincrop potatoes be grown in a regenerative system?’
- Generously supported by Alan and Anne Becket Award
Toby Simpson (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire)
- Topic: ‘Cover and catch cropping opportunities in UK arable agriculture’
- Generously supported by McDonald’s UK & Ireland
Christopher Taylor (Usk, Wales)
- Topic: ‘Do regenerative farming practices pave the way for UK Agriculture to meet Net Zero?’
- Generously supported by McDonald’s UK & Ireland
David Throup (York, Yorkshire)
- Topic: ‘Poultry manure: A study into the storage, bi-product capabilities & the impact on environmental sustainability’
- Generously supported by BEMB Trust
Miranda Timmerman (Abergavenny, Wales)
- Topic: ‘Investigating sustainable methods to improve gastrointestinal parasite management – reducing anthelmintic resistance in the UK sheep flock’
- Generously supported jointly by Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, Worshipful Company of Farmers with Savills & Young Nuffield Award
James Wright (Kington, Herefordshire)
- Topic: ‘Biomass heat into cooling within intensive poultry production – mitigating climate change’
- Generously supported by NFU Mutual Charitable Trust
Helen Wyman (York, Yorkshire)
- Topic: ‘Bioenergy crops: An opportunity to address the triple bottom line’
- Generously supported by John Oldacre Foundation
Thomas Young (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire)
- Topic: ‘Sustainable water use: Opportunities for agriculture based on cross-disciplinary knowledge sharing’
- Generously supported by Worshipful Company of Gardeners
From left to right:
Ben Hunt, Tom Young, Toby Simpson, Chris Taylor, James Pick and Helan Wyman
