Two postgraduate agricultural students from Devon have been selected to receive a bursary from The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust – the ‘Centenary Award’.

Nicholas Moss, from Ashburton, and Sebastian Murray from Buckfastleigh, were selected for the award for their MBAs in Advanced Farm Management, at the Royal Agricultural University (Cirencester).

The award scheme, launched by the UK’s leading rural insurer NFU Mutual to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2010, gives annual bursaries to pay 75% of course fees for selected postgraduate students in agriculture. Nicholas and Sebastian are two of only three students from across the UK to have been chosen for the Centenary Award in 2016.

In talking about his award, Sebastian said: “The Centenary Award has provided a fantastic opportunity to further my understanding of strategic farm business management. The MBA will provide me with the knowledge and skills required to recognise opportunities and embrace them with entrepreneurial flair, with the ambition to secure the future of farms so that they can continue to produce quality food, support wildlife and steward the countryside to the benefit of society.”

Nicholas added: “The Centenary Award is a fantastic opportunity to kick-start an agri-business career for any young professional. The NFU Mutual and its Centenary Award have enabled me to take on an MBA in Advanced Farm Management at the RAU. Following this I hope to work at a strategic level of management and leadership in the commercial world of modern farming- with an aim to impact agribusinesses on a local, national and international scale.”

Announcing the award’s recipients for 2016, Richard Percy, NFU Mutual Chairman, said: “Students in agriculture play a vital role in shaping the future of the industry, and our aim for the Centenary Award is to create a long-standing legacy.”

To select the students, the award’s judging panel looked for applicants who were not only excellent academic performers, but were also passionate about making a difference to agriculture.

Mr Percy added: “Our award winners have demonstrated potential to become a rural leader of the future, and we are very proud to be supporting their studies.”

The Centenary Award is a long-term scheme, and bursaries will again be available in 2017.

Applications for the award next year will be invited from the start of January 2017. Information about the scheme can be found on the NFU Mutual website: www.nfumutual.co.uk

In the meantime, prospective post graduate agricultural students who would like to find out more about the award can contact centenary_award@nfumutual.co.uk