Why training and development are key to farming competitiveness

Good farm management, employee recruitment and staff retention are seen as key for UK agriculture to become more productive and sustainable – while meeting ever-increasing consumer expectations.

The need for better training topped the agenda at the recent National Farm Management Conference.

Hosted by the Institute of Agricultural Management, conference delegates examined ways to broaden their expertise.

See also: What skills are in demand for 21st-century agriculture?

What skills are needed for farm staff?

Looking after staff and equipping them for new ways of doing things are vital for business success, says David Fursdon, chairman of Dyson Farming and The Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture.

While wages and and accommodation are important factors, training is a key component of having a farm staff equipped to take on the challenges of farming in the years ahead.

Farmworkers already possess a diverse range of skills – they are mechanics, soil scientists, accountants, agronomists and livestock husbandry specialists.

But new technologies that will pave the way to greater efficiency mean farm businesses will require skills such as data analysis, drone operation, robotics, GPS systems and aerial analysis.

The right mix of skills will increase the uptake of precision farming techniques that drive financial and environmental sustainability, says Mr Fursdon.

In order to do this, farms will need to develop structured training and development – and recruit from other industries.

A diverse skill set, rather than a purely farming background, is advantageous – yet many farms are only interested in recruiting agricultural graduates, according to Scottish dairy producer Sally Williams, of R&A Wilson, Earlston.

“Until there is a real shortage [of candidates], change is going to be difficult and we will continue complaining that agricultural graduates don’t quite fit what is needed – yet often we don’t look outside our own little bubble,” she says.

“In my business, I have had to – I have people from non-agricultural backgrounds and people from a wide variety of countries. It has allowed me to build a strong team that works well together, and I dread the day that one of them moves on.”

Skills can be taught, says Ms Williams. It is more important to recruit the right kind of people with the right ethos.

Even if they lack the necessary skills when they start, they can learn – either through formal education or on the job. “Our mindset has to change,” she says.

Apprentices and young talent

Lincolnshire farmer Simon King recruited two teenage apprentices eight years ago. Both are now valuable team members. One run the farm’s beef suckler herd. The other is responsible for all spraying, combining and harvest management.

“One of the biggest challenges was pushing them on at a rate they could take – even though their age, to some people, seemed to be a barrier.

If they were capable of doing the job, they needed to be doing it – not have someone standing in their way,” Mr King says.

The provision of quality training – taking apprentices from GSCE to foundation degree level on day release at the farm’s own cost – was also a challenge, says Mr King.

But employing young people had brought new ideas into the business.

“We are very lucky that four of our seven employees are younger than 30, so it is possible. You have to recognise that when people are good enough, they have to be pushed on. In agriculture, that is a bit of a culture change.”

Working conditions

Different people have different aims in life, adds Mr King. “We find driving the biggest tractor and earning the most money isn’t actually what younger employees aim for. Pay is only a small part of what it takes to successfully attract and retain people.”

That view is echoed by Alison Robinson, principal and chief executive of Myerscough College, which operates two commercial farms. The culture of farm staff working long hours should be combated – happy employees are more productive, she says.

“We have reviewed our staff contracts, we’ve reviewed our pay and conditions and we have put in place career structures. We do regular appraisals, talk with staff about their training and development needs – and where they want to go.

“We all have a responsibility to think about how we best support people. That makes us more productive – which improves our profitability – and allows us to pay better salaries and provide better conditions for our staff as well.”

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