Nine young farmers from across Wales have financially benefited from this year’s Gareth Raw Rees Memorial Travel Scholarship.
A total of £2,500 has been awarded by the Management Committee to scholars wishing to broaden their knowledge of agriculture, following a donation from the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust.
This year’s awards will be presented by Mr Lindsay Sinclair, NFU Mutual Group Chief Executive, at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday, 19 July 2016.
Alex Robinson, the main winner, from Llanddewi Velfrey, in Pembrokeshire, will receive £700 to help him travel to New Zealand for an eight month trip to visit and work on farms.
Going to New Zealand to learn more
Twenty-three year old Alex, who has recently graduated from Harper Adams University after gaining a BSc (Honours) in Agriculture with Mechanisation, has a deep passion for farming and the countryside which was fostered at a young age from spending time on his grandparents’ dairy farm.
He has a keen interest in farm machinery and has previously undertaken a 15 month student placement with CLAAS UK, one of the world's leading manufacturers of agricultural engineering equipment.
Alex has also gained much experience of general farm work and working as a relief milker on a number of local dairy farms and also works for a local agricultural contractor.
Commenting on his impending trip, Alex said: "I am really looking forward to spending time in New Zealand to widen my knowledge of agriculture and in particular to see how the Kiwis operate their grass-based dairy farming systems.
"I intend to spend time working with an agricultural contractor in New Zealand and I’m keen to learn new techniques and innovations that I’ll be able to bring back to benefit me, as I ultimately want to manage my own farm at some point in the future."
There are eight further recipients from the scholarship this year who are each receiving a financial contribution to help with their travels.
Host farming families in Illinois
Bleddyn Davies, from Talgarreg in Ceredigion, who is the Farming Connect Development Officer for South Ceredigion, receives £300 towards a three week trip to the USA as part of the Wales YFC International Programme.
He will spend time with host farming families in Illinois and is excited about meeting like-minded individuals who live and work in the countryside and getting an insight into their daily lives.
He’s particularly keen to learn more about the use of timber framed housing in the dairy industry in the USA and hopes to take some new experiences and ideas home with him that will help benefit the new calf rearing enterprise operated on his family farm.
Visiting Welsh black cattle herds in New Zealand
Carwyn Thomas, from Llanerchymedd in Anglesey receives £300 towards a two week trip to New Zealand organised by the Welsh Black Cattle Society.
Carwyn’s travels will take him away from his work on the family beef and sheep farm to broaden his knowledge of agriculture.
Carwyn will use his time in New Zealand to visit some of their Welsh Black cattle herds and to learn more about farming in an environment without government subsidy.
Mark Harries, Aled Wyn Davies and Jordan Davies, all from Carmarthenshire and currently studying Agriculture at Coleg Sir Gar’s Gelli Aur campus will each receive £300 towards a three week study tour of New Zealand in October and November as part of a trip organised by Coleg Sir Gar.
They will spend time touring various farming enterprises in New Zealand, including share farming systems, and will further their knowledge on various grassland management methods used there.
They hope to take some new experiences and ideas home with them that will help in their respective future careers in agriculture.
The three other recipients from the scholarship this year will each receive £100 to help with their travels.
Rural Youth Europe
Rhiannon Davies from Talgarreg, in Ceredigion, a recent graduate in Business Management from the University of South Wales, receives £100 towards the costs of attending the week-long Rural Youth Europe rally which will be held in Norway in October.
She will represent Wales YFC at the event and will participate in various workshops, seminars and study visits to help develop community engagement in rural communities.
Frances Evans from Dryslwyn in Carmarthenshire receives £100 from the scholarship fund towards the costs of a 12 month Dairy Fellows Programme in Cornell University, USA.
Frances, a former student of Ysgol Bro Myrddin and Hartpury College will widen her knowledge and understanding of dairy management techniques and is looking to utilise what she learns in the future on the family dairy farm.
Dafydd Owen from Rowen near Conwy also receives £100 towards the costs of a one week study tour to Belgium.
He will use his trip to further his knowledge of Beltex sheep, which originated from Belgium, with the aim of further developing and advancing the use of genetics in his pedigree flock.
The scholarship, which is administered by NFU Cymru, was set up in memory of the late Gareth Raw Rees who, for many years, was a delegate on the NFU Council and Chairman of the NFU Cymru Education Committee.
Gareth believed fervently that travel was an important form of education for young people.
