The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is pleased to announce the recipient of its 2011 Postgraduate Scholarship.
Clint Bell, a student at Lincoln University is in his final year of a B.Ag.Sci (Hons) degree. Clint was one of several scholarship applicants, and due to his interest in the arable industry, stood out to be the most worthy recipient of this award.
Clint comes from a sheep and beef farm at the foothills of Mount Hutt where his family run a mixed aged flock of Border Romney ewes that are crossed with terminal sire. Store cattle are purchased in the autumn and spring that are then sold when prime; a small amount of cash crop cereal is also grown.
Clint says he's very interested in farming, the lifestyle and the hard work that it offers appeals to him. "I hope to own my own mixed sheep and cropping property in the future, however until then, my main aim is to get into the industry, hence why I chose an agricultural science degree. I kept my degree pretty broad in the first couple of years; however the knowledge and enjoyment I gained from working on cropping properties in Canterbury and two harvests in Western Australia made me realise that getting into the arable industry is where I wanted to head once I have graduated from Lincoln.
"I am extremely proud to be the recipient of this prestigious scholarship and would like to thank FAR and New Zealand's arable growers for this funding. Although owning my own farm is a goal for me, farm ownership is challenging with today's volatile markets. I therefore believe a career in agronomy or a field representative would be beneficial in the short term, and would allow me to gain the skills and knowledge in this area. There are a lot of great opportunities out there in the agricultural sector and I definitely see pursuing a career in the arable sector as a positive step forward."
Nick Pyke, FAR's Chief Executive says these scholarships pave the way for these bright young students from diverse backgrounds to excel in the agricultural industry. "The FAR Scholarship has been awarded to six Lincoln students in recent years. The Scholarship provides students with support in their studies related to the arable industry and helps provide the skills and knowledge for a career related to the industry. We are look forward to supporting Clint over the next year, not just financially, but also providing advice and assistance with his research project which aims to look at the effect of sowing date and plant growth regulators on red clover seed yield."
FAR Postgraduate Scholarship and FAR Summer Scholarship information can be obtained from Melanie Bond at the FAR office on 03 325 6353 or emailbondm@far.org.nz
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