Mark Dewes: Report Published

21/02/20

New Nuffield Farming Report published – Mark Dewes: ‘UK Agronomy: What can we learn from overseas to better curate the use of pesticides?’

Warwickshire farmer and Agrii agronomist Mark Dewes NSch 2018 has published his Nuffield Farming Report titled ‘UK Agronomy: What can we learn from overseas to better curate the use of pesticides?’. It is now available on the Nuffield International website at www.nuffieldinternational.org/live/reports or can be downloaded directly at http://bit.ly/2vOMoBj.

Mark’s presentation of his study findings at the 2019 Nuffield Farming Conference can be viewed at http://bit.ly/32fT87n.

Report Title: UK Agronomy: What can we learn from overseas to better curate the use of pesticides?

Sponsor: The Richard Lawes Foundation

Countries Visited: Germany, Denmark, Canada, Italy, Brazil, Uruguay, France

Study Objectives

To examine the role of the Agronomy industry, legislation and other factors in the UK, to assess their effect on pesticide use.
Compare and contrast this situation with that in other countries.
Make recommendations for the future direction of the UK Agronomy sector to help drive sustainable productivity improvements in UK arable farming.

Messages

Introduce more accountability to the agronomy sector both financially and for the long-term stewardship of the pesticides used by:

Making agronomists’ decisions more financially accountable
Introducing a Treatment Frequency Index as the metric for pesticide use
A voluntary pesticide reduction programme administered through a new body: Responsible Use of Pesticides in Agriculture (RUPA)
Reinforcing farmer to farmer KE through the AHDB Monitor Farm programme

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Notes to the Editor:

The Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust (NFST) is a registered charity (Reg. Charity No. 1098519) that awards approximately 20 scholarships annually in the UK to young people between the ages of 22 and 45 from across the agricultural industry.

There is no need for formal qualifications in order to apply for a Nuffield Scholarship; instead, the Trust looks to unlock an individual’s potential and broaden horizons through study and travel overseas. Scholars are selected with a view to developing tomorrow’s leaders within their individual business and the industry as a whole.

Nuffield Farming member countries span the globe, with established programmes in Australia, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Kenya, and Zimbabwe; Associate countries also include Brazil, USA, South Africa, and Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan).

Nuffield Scholarships are only made possible by the generous support of sponsors from across agriculture and the food industry. NFST work with over 100 sponsors to develop individuals who will become tomorrow’s leaders and inspire change in our industry.

Scholarship Eligibility

Applicants must work within the farming, food, horticulture, rural and associated industries or are in a position to influence these industries.

Applicants must be aged between 22 and 45 years (the upper age limit is 45 on 31st July in the year of application).

There is no requirement for academic qualifications, but applicants will already be well established in their career and demonstrate a passion for the industry they work in and be three years post-tertiary education.