Scholarship applications being sought for 2016 OFC/DLG exchange programme

At its conference earlier today the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) opened calls for applications for the second OFC Travel Scholarship Programme that is run in association with Young DLG, the young member network of the German Agricultural Society (DLG). Applications are open to previous and current scholars who have attended the Oxford Farming Conference.

The OFC will fund three young agriculturalists to join the Young DLG Conference in Germany next November, as it did in 2015. Meanwhile, DLG has reciprocated by funding three of the Young DLG board to attend the 2016 OFC, as it did for two members at the 2015 conference. This year’s DLG representatives are Mirko Graff, Jan Frädrich and Henriette von der Leyen.

The OFC programme has been generously supported by Massey Ferguson who has also sponsored three members of the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) to attend the 2016 Oxford Farming Conference. The CEJA representatives are Alan Jagoe from Ireland, President of CEJA and Vice Presidents Alice Cerruti from Italy and Jannes Maes from Belgium.

The British winners of the 2015 OFC Award were Nicola Blowey, Jenni Thompson and Robert Yardley – they travelled to Germany for a week in November, their trip coincided with the Agritechnica event, which they also attended. The trio has also been funded by the OFC to join the 2016 Oxford Farming Conference.

Cheshire farmer, Robert Yardley, spoke at the 2015 Young DLG Conference and again at the 2016 Oxford Farming Conference.

Commenting on her win of the 2015 award, Jenni Thompson said: “This has given me the most exceptional opportunity to meet with leaders in agriculture, share knowledge and experience and meet some wonderful people.

“We visited farms on our trip, which taught me a lot about the development of farming practices in Germany. For example, many farms work in partnership or as co-operatives, making the most of each respective member’s strengths and pooling resources to maximise productivity and profit. This is something we see little of in the UK, but it highlighted how useful it could be to keeping smaller farms in business. The further east you go, the more common co-operatives are; a legacy of the division of Germany in the Cold War.

“Agriculture offers a world of opportunity to new entrants, both on farm and in business and I certainly relished the chance to see agriculture beyond our shores and I would wholeheartedly recommend anyone apply for the OFC/DLG Travel Scholarship, you never know what awaits you!”

OFC Director, Martin Davies added: "The aim of this exchange programme is to give young British and German agriculturalists a really valuable learning opportunity and for them to meet like-minded people, from other countries, working in the farming sector. DLG is an ideal partner for this scholarship programme given their remit of promoting technical and scientific progress, a sentiment wholly shared by the OFC.

“Our thanks go to Massey Ferguson, who have kindly supported this programme and for sponsoring the three CEJA scholars attendance of the 2016 conference.”