First HGCA Nuffield Arable Scholar announced
Kent farmer Tom Sewell has been named the first HGCA Nuffield Arable Scholar and hopes to make a difference by focusing on no-till farming.
From left to right are: HGCA Board member Guy Smith with HGCA Nuffield Arable Scholarship Award winner Tom Sewell, Nuffield Chairman Stephen Watkins and NFU President Peter Kendall
Father of three Tom, who has now started his 18 month Scholarship, is using the opportunity to study the long-term benefits of direct drilling.
He said: “This is an opportunity for me to give something back to the industry, to research on behalf of farmers and hopefully improve cropping.”
As part of the award Tom will have the chance to spend at least eight weeks researching the topic abroad, where he hopes to meet forward thinking farmers, advisors and experts in the area of direct drilling and no-till farming. He also hopes to learn more about any long-term benefits they have experienced as well as more on soil, environment, yields and profitability and see if it can be replicated in the UK. Results of Tom’s study will be presented at the Nuffield Annual Conference in 2014.
Tom and his wife Sarah farm in partnership with his father Jem a previous Nuffield Scholar and mother Anna, growing 850 acres of arable crops alongside 150 acres of grass for hay production.
He added: “I owe a debt of gratitude to the HGCA for helping me fulfil my ambition of making a difference to the industry. I am hoping my Scholarship with the HGCA will help supply growers with more information on this new way of farming that’s forward thinking.”
HGCA already offers an array of bursaries to PhD students to help raise the profile of agricultural research and development. The HGCA Nuffield Arable Scholarship Award helps broaden this involvement to candidates in the arable sector aged between 22 and 45, and train the next generation of agricultural research.
Nuffield Scholar and HGCA Board member Guy Smith said: “The key strength of Nuffield is that its name opens doors for Scholars when they travel the world looking at their field of study. I’m hopeful that having the HGCA as a sponsor will add another string to the bow. There are numerous ways in which the relationship between the HGCA and the Scholar could be mutually beneficial.”
Follow Tom’s progress on the HGCA Nuffield Arable Scholarship Award Blog available on the HGCA website – www.hgca.com or on Twitter @tandssewell.