Mole Valley Farmers is to sponsor the Mole Valley Farmers Nuffield Award, a bi-annual scholarship aimed specifically at applicants from within its four main trading counties, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

Company chairman Ranald Fowler said: "For some time, our board has been considering an agricultural award which would be open to members or their close family within the company's main trading area. The objective is both to recognise excellence and to stimulate new ideas or techniques to benefit the applicant's business and to the wider agricultural industry in the South West."

The Mole Valley Farmers Nuffield Award will be administered by the Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust, an organisation with a reputation for selecting scholars, established procedures for managing their travel and the ability to disseminate scholars' reports and findings on their return.

Nuffield Scholarships are well known within the agricultural industry, some 23 are awarded annually and to date more than 600 individuals have benefited from the programme. Mole Valley Farmers will work closely with the trust and have a representative on the selection panel.

The award is open to applicants under 45 years of age, who are the decision makers in an agriculturally-based business and have the vision, enthusiasm and determination to study a subject about which they are passionate. The winner will enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to benefit from the experiences of worldwide travel, organisational support from the Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust and £2,500 worth of financial backing from Mole Valley Farmers.

Completed entry forms, which must be returned by January, 7, are available from all branches of Mole Valley Farmers or by telephoning 01858 555544.