Nuffield Canada was established in the 1950’s with money from the original Lord Nuffield endowment. The Canadian Nuffield Agricultural Scholarship Association (Nuffield Canada) was formally incorporated on March 5, 1986 and operates as a registered non-profit.

Nuffield has a volunteer Board of Directors that oversees the direction and strategy of the organization. An Executive Director, hired by the Board of Directors, manages day-to-day operations at the direction of the Board.

Nuffield Canada is part of Nuffield International, a broader community that includes Australia, Brazil, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe and Brazil (associate since 2013).

Nuffield Canada depends primarily on sponsorship and alumni donations to support scholarships and day-to-day operations.

You must be actively engaged in farming, agi-forestry or some other agricultural related industry. You could be working in greenhouses, a winery, feed supplement, fertilizer, dairying or dairy processing business, teaching agriculture and so on.

No educational background is necessary. However, an in-depth report is required at the end of your study and that knowledge must be passed on to others by public speaking and a series of publishable articles while you are on the scholarship and after your return.

The long answer is it lasts a lifetime. Even after you return you continue to be a Member and you can participate in Nuffield conferences held around the world. You are also tied into a dynamic group of people who meet at annual meetings and picnics and exchange ideas and views on a variety of subjects. However, the short answer is that you participate in a three week group training session followed by your own private study. We expect nothing less than a total of two months and we hope to see longer.

That is part of the leadership training of the course. If you are leadership material and you can’t leave your farm then you will never be able to lead in the future. That is part of the organizational skill required to earn a scholarship and become a Nuffield Scholar.

On the training sessions spouses are strictly prohibited. We encourage scholars to begin their private study on their own with spouses joining near the end of the period to share in the experience.

Until recently, the initial training session was conducted in England but with the increased participation of sister member countries, these sessions could be held in whichever one is chosen to host that year’s program.

A team of graduate Nuffield scholars and others prominent in agriculture interview prospective scholars and develop a short list from which successful candidates are selected.

If you are chosen, an Advisory Committee is appointed to help you. This group will provide help based on their past Nuffield experience and may even suggest routes and new ideas.

Most do a lot of fund raising on their own and also have a number of small area companies and individuals sponsor their study program. Upon their return, scholars re-pay this support through public speaking and consulting work free of charge. Lessons learned overseas and thereby translated into direct savings in the farming operations of those who gave their support.

This varies from scholar to scholar and can range from $15,000 to $35,000. The most expensive part of this scholarship is the flight, travel and accommodation costs. One of the ways that expenses can be reduced is through the hospitality of Nuffield Scholars living in the study area who provide free meals and lodging. Those who are selected are responsible for making all of their own travel and living arrangements – a “package” is not given to each student since this would partially defeat the objective of teaching leadership and independent thought.

We need studies to be current and of interest to modern agriculture. We prefer wide studies allowing freedom for the scholar to move about and to cover a broad field as opposed to being focused and missing some larger issues which are important.

The cost to support a scholar is $20,000.00 annually.

Your investment includes $15,000.00 per year directly to the scholar in support of his/her program. $5,000.00 of that investment will go to administration, used to support the organization and programming as a whole.

Yes, Nuffield Canada is a registered non-profit organization so your donation is tax deductible.

All sponsors are publicly recognized as Nuffield Canada supporters, on our website, in all print materials and at the AGM. The scholar you support will also be directed to publicly recognize his/her sponsor wherever possible.

Just a few of the benefits of sponsoring a Nuffield scholar: - Close association with a Nuffield Scholar and the greater Nuffield community. Nuffield Scholars are highly respected in their industries and much sought after as speakers, advisors and board members. Canadian Nuffield Scholars play key leadership roles in many of this country’s agricultural, food and rural associations. - Exposure to new products, services, technologies, ideas and marketing approaches, through knowledge gained and brought back to Canadian agriculture by Nuffield Scholars. - Public recognition and profile of your support through the scholar, his/her research report and through Nuffield’s extensive network, not just in Canada but around the world. - The opportunity to gain a future employee or consultant committed to growing your company’s bottom line through unique experience and innovative thinking.