Every year the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society offers a bursary to enable young people to attend the Oxford Farming Conference. To qualify for the bursary candidates must be between 25 and 35 years old and working in a land-based industry.
The Oxford Farming Conference, held annually in early January, has established a reputation for strong debate and exceptional speakers. The conference is one of the most important events of its kind bringing together farmers, politicians, scientists and others to discuss the future development of the agricultural industry. The 2022 conference, Routes to Resilience will be held from 5 to 7 January 2022. The event will embrace a hybrid model with the opportunity to attend the live conference in Oxford or join virtually online.
This year’s candidates attended an online interview and the Society’s representatives Mrs Nicola Davies, Mrs Menna Evans and Miss Ffion Medi Rees (2020 winner) made up the panel of judges.
The judges noted that the enthusiasm and drive showed by all candidates for their chosen path was indeed compelling and that it was encouraging to hear such positive feedback on the future of our industry and rural way of life. On concluding the interview process the judges had no doubt that they have indeed met future leaders of the industry.
The judges stated that they were very impressed with the calibre of all the candidates. They finally agreed that the Oxford Farming Conference Bursary 2022 should be awarded to Miss Katie Davies of Pembrokeshire. Katie will be presented with her bursary at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair on Monday 29th November.
The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has played a leading role in the development of agriculture and the rural economy in Wales for over a century since its formation in 1904.
Today our work includes providing support for business, social welfare and education in rural communities, and the organisation and staging of our ever-popular society events; the Smallholding and Countryside Festival, the Royal Welsh Show and the Winter Fair.
The society is a registered company (Company Registration No. – 892851 Wales.) and charity (Charity Registration No. – 251232), with the offices based at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, Powys.
Supporting a team of staff, the society is run through a committee structure. These committees, made up of hardworking and dedicated volunteers, consider everything from new building projects and planning applications, to competition rules and tradestands… along with everything else in between.
Committee decisions are then authorised by the board of directors, the society’s trustees. The board comprises of a group of 40+ members representing the society’s 14 advisory committees (12 in Wales and two in England), who meet 10 times a year. The board also has co-opted members, chosen for their particular skill to enhance the role of trustees.
Complete governance of the society is overseen by the council which meet annually to ratify decisions and appoint honorary directors.
