Forty-six farms are now at the heart of an expanding farmer-to-farmer learning network which looks at productivity and innovation on the farm.
AHDB’s knowledge exchange work now includes 46 farms across the country as part of 'Farm Excellence' activities.
A compilation of short and in-depth profiles of the current AHDB Monitor and Strategic Farms, which span livestock, arable and horticulture enterprises, have been compiled in a new AHDB Farm Excellence directory, which has been launched today (3 January) at the Oxford Farming Conference.
Strategic Farms harness the benefits of ‘farmer-to-farmer’ learning to accelerate the uptake of knowledge and innovation to make the industry more competitive in the global marketplace.
Monitor Farms bring together groups of farmers who wish to improve their businesses by sharing performance information and best practice around a nationwide network of host farms.
A priority for AHDB is to speed up innovation and productivity growth on British farms to help farmers prepare for Brexit and beyond.
Jane King, AHDB CEO, said: “We’ve been busy coordinating our knowledge exchange work and building on the success of our Monitor and Strategic Farms. Now we have an impressive network of businesses all looking to adapt and improve through the power of farmer-to-farmer learning.
“This new publication showcases the breadth and depth of farmer led learning right across the country, which is proving practical and motivating for all those involved.”
Business improvement
The AHDB states that it is keen to build partnerships with other organisations with similar on farm knowledge exchange schemes.
It says by working together, farmer-to-farmer learning can be expanded to more areas and encourage farmers and growers to explore business improvement ideas.
Susannah Bolton, AHDB Director of Knowledge Exchange, said: “Inspiration for farmers to adopt new technologies and make beneficial changes on farm must come from voices they are familiar with and trust.
“This is why AHDB is investing over £1m in our Farm Excellence network every year, to build on and create new groups to allow more farmers to see action on farm and channel innovation at those that can use it the most.”
Farmer-to-farmer learning is identified as a key method of accelerating productivity growth in AHDB’s latest Horizon report, published today.
The report – Driving productivity growth together – calls for industry to seize the opportunity of the Government’s new industrial strategy and forge a new partnership to drive what AHDB calls ‘a dramatic acceleration’ in productivity growth.
It sets out a five-point action plan, which has increased industry collaboration and partnership to drive lasting change at its core.
