New lease of life coming for discussion groups in form of Knowledge Transfer Programme
Farmer discussion groups will get a new lease of life when the Department of Agriculture launches the Knowledge Transfer Programme.
Each farmer in the programme can receive €700 per year — on top of the proven value of being a member of a discussion group, which is apparent in the improvement in farm profits, but also in the social contact with like-minded farmers through the year.
The old saying ‘two heads are better than one’ is very relevant for discussion groups.
Where a group has 15-20 members, then there is a huge level of experience within the group to help solve problems as they arise on every farm every year.
A discussion group has a facilitator.
If you are a member of a Teagasc discussion group, it’s the local Teagasc adviser.
Each group also has a chairman (elected by the members).
At the start of the year, the group collectively maps out how many times it will meet, and the topics to be discussed.
Of course this is a fluid arrangement, in that dates and topics can be amended to suit the weather and the current issues around each meeting.
Each member is expected to attend as many meetings as possible, with most farmers being disappointed if they were unable to attend at least 80% of meetings.
During meetings, participation from all members is encouraged to add to the discussion and helps to form a collective decision about how to progress on the topic at hand.
Recent studies of farmers attending discussion groups have shown clear economic benefits.
For farmers attending discussion groups, compared to farmers not attending a discussion group, dairy farmers have increased profits by 2c/l, and drystock farmers have increased gross margins by €247/ha.
Tillage farmers attending groups can expect similar results.
There will also be the added benefit of being a part of the Knowledge Transfer Groups scheme, expected to be launched in the coming months.
A minimum number is required for a discussion group to work effectively, and your local adviser will spend quite a bit of time matching like-minded farmers together when numbers are sufficient.
Contact your local adviser and chat through how you can benefit from being part of a local discussion group.
The ground work has been laid for commencement of knowledge transfer schemes and these will start early in 2016.
The scheme design has been guided by experiences from previous dairy advisory schemes and beef and sheep discussion groups and following extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders.
The scheme builds significantly on the discussion group model and is designed in such a way as to ensure the farmer and advisor engage in one-to-one discussion on key aspects of a farmers’ business such as profitability, environmental sustainability, breeding and herd health.
Each approved knowledge transfer facilitator must prepare for and hold a minimum of five knowledge exchange meetings each year, and oversee the preparation and submission of a farm improvement plan for each participating farmer.
Facilitators will also be responsible for confirming the completion of scheme requirements by participating farmers.
