Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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Skills matter at farming industry round table
Representatives from the farming industry have met with Environment Secretary Hilary Benn to discuss skills training.
The Agri-Skills round table was convened by Mr Benn yesterday to discuss how to improve access to training for 21st-century farming.
Speaking at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, Mr Benn said:
"Developing skills for agriculture and horticulture is a real priority for both industry and for Government. Farming is by its very nature a skilled profession, but more can and should be done to keep the industry challenging and competitive.
"We need to make it easier for new farmers to get into the industry and to improve access to training for existing farmers. I believe that while the farming community is best placed to lead on skills development, the Government can help this process. In order to succeed this is something that we need to do together."
There are a range of options open to farmers for skills and knowledge development including on-the-job training, short courses, in-depth accredited courses, and apprenticeships. The purpose of the round table is to develop a clear and simple system so that farmers know where to go for advice on assessing their skills needs and on the most appropriate form of training.
NFU president Peter Kendall said:
"The NFU welcomed the opportunity to take part in the training and skills round table meeting, mentioned in the Secretary of State Hilary Benn's speech at the recent NFU Conference.
"It is important that training and skills development are a top priority when considering the future of the industry. By improving the skills of farmers and all those working on farms, we can make a major contribution to meeting the growing demands for food into the future."
Richard Longthorp, a pig farmer from Yorkshire and a leading advocate for the farming industry, gave his support to the initiative, saying:
"I was delighted to take part in the Round Table. It is an exciting development for a crucial area which has unfortunately had too little attention paid to it for far too long - yet is so absolutely fundamental to everything we as farmers do.
"We do at times struggle to demonstrate our skills base through qualifications but this is changing - several Continuous Professional Development schemes such as the National Register of Sprayer Operators and the Pig Industry Professional Register shows the industry is already in a position to start demonstrating the professionalism that exists within the industry.
"These schemes can form the basis of a system that will then ensure that consumers have full confidence in the food we produce and society at large to have confidence in our production methods."
Notes to Editors
1. For more information on Defra's
Fresh Start programme visit http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/working/new-entrants/index.htm
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