New Zealand Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust

New Zealand Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust

14 October 2004

2005 Nuffield Scholars Announced

The New Zealand Nuffield Farming Scholarship recipients for 2005 are Methven farmer John Wright and former Taranaki dairy farmer Tom Mason, now based in Mid Canterbury.

John Wright is a cropping and livestock farmer who also has an interest in the family farming business.

Tom Mason has interests in two dairy farms in Mid Canterbury, and a family dairy, livestock and maize farm in Stratford.

Nuffield Farming Scholarships promote leadership and the implementation of innovative practices in agriculture through worldwide study and interpersonal contact. The scholarships give successful applicants the opportunity to develop a better understanding of New Zealand and international relationships by studying farming, agricultural marketing or agricultural organisational practices internationally.

John and Tom will travel to North America, the United Kingdom and Europe to develop a better understanding of New Zealand and international relationships by studying farming, agricultural marketing, or agricultural organisational practices.

Tom Mason’s scholarship was made possible by Dairy InSight funding. He plans to use his scholarship to study good corporate governance in a New Zealand agribusiness context. As a dairy farmer he has particular interest in governance within cooperatives and plans to visit countries with well developed corporate governance strictures.

John Wright plans to study primary industry investment in ‘blue skies’ research and innovation, looking at intellectual property, reinvestment in research and returns to the greater industry.

“The quality of candidates for the scholarships was outstanding, and it was difficult to narrow the selection down. The successful candidates’ strong commitment to their industry impressed the selection panel,” says Nuffield Chairman Alistair Polson.

“Nuffield Farming Scholarships have been offered to innovative New Zealand farmers for more than 50 years and I am sure that Tom and John will make an outstanding contribution to New Zealand agriculture,” says Mr Polson.

Nuffield farming scholarships are funded by Dairy InSight, Landcorp, Meat and Wool New Zealand, the McKenzie Trust and Rabobank. For more information on Nuffield visit www.nuffield.org.nz

ENDS

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