Tesco is the latest partner to start using Dairy Pro to accredit training workshops for its milk producers.
The circa 750 dairy farmer members of the Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group (TDSG) will now be able to earn points on their professional development register each time they attend a TDSG workshop.
Launched five years ago, Dairy Pro is the main professional development register for the dairy industry and a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all training whether it’s finding events or recording attendance and learnings.
It now has around 1,500 active members and 100 training partners, now including Tesco.
Nic Parsons, Tesco Dairy Agricultural Manager, explains that joining Dairy Pro will remain voluntary for the members of the TDSG group but participating producers will find it simplifies their record-keeping for training and development activities.
It will also help them meet the Red Tractor recommendation introduced in October 2014 that at least one staff member per site should be a member of a scheme that records skills, development and training.
'Natural fit'
He says: “Dairy Pro is a natural fit for our workshops, which we run on five or six different topics each year. Our milk suppliers gain recognition as a business for attending these courses on subjects as varied as lameness and responsible medicine use throughout the year. So it makes sense for them to receive third party endorsement for their efforts while they are meeting our own requirements for being part of the producer group.”
Helen Brookes of Dairy Pro says that with each TDSG event being evaluated as worth 4 Dairy Pro points, each attendance will be a significant step towards reaching Dairy Pro Endorsed status, awarded once 20 points is reached in a single year.
“Endorsement is a sign of commitment to personal development, and those achieving this will receive a certificate and can use the logo on their farm literature or CV,” she explains.
“For TDSG producers who are already members of Dairy Pro, all they need to do is register their attendance at each TSDG event and their record will be automatically updated. Alternatively, they can find that event on the Dairy Pro website and click the button that logs their points.
“And as well as all TSDG events, which can be accessed by logging in to Dairy Pro, the online events calendar has upwards of 30 other new dairy-relevant events on it each month, promoting training and activities provided by the 100 organisations linked to the scheme.”
