The Feed Adviser Register (FAR) continues to meet its overall objectives, according to AIC Services Managing Director John Kelley. The Register, which was launched two year ago in May has nearly 1200 members and the vast majority of these have already completed their core competencies in the first two training modules.
At the same time the Register’s working group is now preparing to launch module three, which will align environmental core competencies with feed advice. The Government’s need for the feed industry to address environmental issues, including greenhouse gases (GHGs), was a major driver in the formation of FAR.
FAR was launched by AIC (Agricultural Industries Confederation) in May 2013. While other aspects of agriculture, such as agronomy, had a formal structure for training and accreditation, feed advisers had no equivalent register. Other industry registers provided a clear path for knowledge transfer to farms and, subsequent changes in behaviour, such as addressing GHGs.
FAR sets core competencies for feed advisers in pig, poultry, sheep, beef and dairy sectors. In order to qualify for the Register advisers must demonstrate experience and core skills, which are then built on through a process of meeting core competencies by training or relevant experience.
In the first two years of the Register two modules have been developed: Module 1(M1) ‘Fundamentals of Whole Farm Feed Planning’, and Module 2 (M2) ‘The Nutritional Link to Animal Health and Fertility’.
Registered advisers are required to complete a number of core competencies within these modules. In addition, advisers have to conform to a Code of Professional Conduct.
An online portal has been developed for registered advisers to enter their qualifications and record their training progress against the core competencies.
Inge Verwoerd, who recently joined AIC Services as FAR Technical Manager, says: “AIC has already achieved a considerable amount in establishing FAR and recruiting nearly 1200 members over the past two years. Achieving the core competencies in FAR now provides a baseline from which the industry can further develop its skill set. In particular, I believe that the third environment module will be a major step forward in helping to deliver FAR’s original objectives.”
