SFT Podcast: The next generation of farmers – Nuffield Farming's young scholarship programme

What's it like to be young in an industry where the average age is nudging 60 (and climbing)? Why would you want to join it, and what happens if no-one does?

On this week's episode, Stuart Oates sits down with Summer Wyatt-Buchan, Craig Alexander Byrne and Jessica Walker – three members of Nuffield's Next-Gen class of 2026 to find out what really matters to the UK's next generation of farmers, what they think about the big regen debate and why they decided to visit no less than 45 farms around the UK  – plus what they discovered along the way.

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This conversation was recorded in the SFT Podcast Tent at Groundswell in July 2026, sponsored by The Rothschild Foundation. To listen to more podcasts recorded live at this year's festival, read this month's newsletter or visit our podcasts page.

Learn more about the Nuffield Farming Next-Gen Scholarship and find out how to apply at https://www.nuffieldscholar.org/scholarships/nuffield-farming-next-gen-scholarships

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Timestamps

0:00: Introduction – what is the Nuffield Farming Next-Gen Scholarship?

01:50: Personal journeys into regenerative agriculture

04:45: Insights from farm visits

08:44: Reflections on the Nuffield Farming experience

12:27: Community engagement and social metrics in farming

15:34: The debate on regenerative certification

20:08: Bridging the gap between conventional and regenerative farming

25:04: Advice for future scholars