FIVE people from the south west have been appointed 2025 Nuffield Farming Scholars. 

The Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust has announced the appointment of 24 new scholars for 2025. 

During their scholarships, the scholars will travel internationally to learn more about their study topic from global leaders and experts. 

“Applications this year were incredibly strong, which made the job of our selection committee particularly challenging,” says Rupert Alers-Hankey, director of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust. 

“This is my first year as director and I have been so impressed by the cohort of 2025 Scholars, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds and sectors. The list of topics the Scholars have chosen to explore is inspiring and reflects some of our industry’s most pressing challenges.

"Nuffield Farming Scholarships help develop future leaders in the UK’s agriculture and rural sectors. There is no doubt in my mind that the 2025 Nuffield Farming scholars will lead positive change in Agriculture.”

South west scholars 

Edward Fane Trefusis

Edward is a director and partner in his family business, Clinton Devon Estates. In his role he hopes to develop their land strategy by cultivating independent and commercially viable enterprises based on sustainable food production, environmental net gain, and social good. Edward’s Scholarship will focus on how agricultural businesses can embrace risk management, and the importance this plays in enhancing resilience and future-proofing against industry challenges.

Study title: How can agricultural businesses manage risk in a risky operating environment?

(Supported by AHDB) 

Peter Green 

Peter is a Cornish beef farmer and podcast host. He is passionate about the importance of family farms in UK agriculture. However, he also believes that they face an immediate threat to survival and must listen to their stakeholders, engage with their markets and strive to improve their financial, environmental and social performance. He sees a need to empower small farms to take more control by plotting their own course and stepping away from a reliance on reaching markets through large third parties.

Study title: The challenge of getting value from our farming story

(Supported by the Food Chain Scholarship)

Recommended reading 

Andy Moore 

Bristol-based Andy, head engineer at ADF Milking, believes in the importance of enhanced milking technologies to revolutionise dairy farming. With an interest in automation, he will explore how it can be best utilised both inside and outside of the dairy parlour. As part of his Scholarship, Andy hopes to predict how increased automation will affect the UK dairy landscape and consider how the dairy industry might have to adapt to suit these systems and overcome potential difficulties.

Study title: How has automation affected the dairy landscape and where do we go from here

(Supported by The Trehane Trust)

David Oates 

Mixed and diversified organic farmer David is the seventh generation of his family to run their Cornish farm. Organic nature-friendly farming has been the primary focus of his business, and he has recently been working to increase the total output of the land he manages. He would like to add long-term value to his farm to benefit his family and secure a legacy for future generations. His Nuffield Scholarship aims to explore innovative ways to simultaneously achieve financial, social, and environmental gains from land use.

Study title: Stacking land uses for business and environmental sustainability

(Supported by the CHK Foundation)

Stuart Oates 

Stuart is the owner of a media production and environmental management contracting company and has worked with the BBC directing and producing Countryfile. Coming from a Cornish farming family and with an interest in environmental issues, he would like to explore how to eliminate fossil fuel dependence in agriculture. His Nuffield Scholarship will identify alternative fossil fuel inputs and solutions, particularly in tractors, sustainable battery production, and seaweed-based biostimulants.

Study title: Fossil free farming

(Supported by the Dartington Cattle Breeding Trust)

To see a full list of scholars, click here. 

The trust will officially introduce their latest cohort at the Nuffield Farming Conference, to be held in Belfast in November.

Applications for 2026 Nuffield Farming Scholarships will open in January 2025.

Tickets for the 2024 Nuffield Farming Conference in Belfast are now available to purchase. The conference is open to all and a connection to Nuffield Farming is not required. Ticketing and further details can be found on the Nuffield Farming website.