This year, the committee has made £3,000 available for applicants considering travelling within the UK, Europe or further afield. Past winners of the award have travelled to New Zealand, Australia, America, the Orkney Islands, Georgia, the Isle of Man and many other destinations.
If you are under 30 years old and would like some financial assistance with your travels, even if you have already received support from another scholarship or fund, then this could be the perfect opportunity for you.
Promoting the interests of young people in farming
NFU Cymru Policy Adviser, Lowri Price said: “The scholarship fund was launched in 1984 in memory of the late Gareth Raw Rees MBE from Ceredigion, whose considerable energies had always been directed towards promoting the interests of young people in farming and in the countryside. He was a firm believer in the benefits of travelling towards the fulfilment of a broader and more rewarding education.
“We have awarded scholarships to some incredible young farmers and their experiences abroad have been extremely beneficial to their own farming practices back here in Wales. I urge anyone looking to travel abroad to submit an application this year as you could very well be successful.”
Trevor Lloyd, Chairman of NFU Mutual’s Advisory Board for Wales said: “The Gareth Raw Rees Scholarship offers fantastic opportunities for young people to travel and learn about farming methods in other parts of the world.
“In today’s fast changing agricultural industry, it’s vital that our young farmers gain a wider perspective to help them farm successfully, which is why NFU Mutual is a strong supporter of the scholarship scheme. Over the years we’ve received some exceptional applications from some very capable and enterprising young people and have been able to support their efforts in visiting and learning about a variety of agricultural techniques employed across the globe. We very much look forward to receiving some equally impressive applications once again in 2024.”
2022 winner
Manon Lewis who travelled to New Zealand with her scholarship said: "Someone once said to me, you never stop learning, and receiving the Gareth Raw Rees Memorial Scholarship to travel to New Zealand has been an incredibly benefiting experience, allowing me to learn from others and their farming systems, pick up new innovative ideas and apply this knowledge to make improvements to farming enterprises at home.
"Thank you very much for the financial support towards my travel costs, and for influencing an unforgettable experience I will forever appreciate."
Apply now
All application forms should be emailed to [email protected]
Closing date
The closing date for applications is Friday 14 June 2024 and the winners will be announced on the Tuesday of this year’s Royal Welsh Show.
The scholarship is managed by the Raw Rees family; NFU Cymru; NFU Mutual; Wales YFC; the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University and the Future Farmers of Wales.
