Training for Farmers through the SWELBC Vocational Training Scheme.

SWELBC Vocational Training Scheme.

The Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) provided farmers and growers in the SW of England with training through a range of technical awareness days, technical development days and business development day. Training was able to cover any non statutory training required by the industry.

Courses were delivered to meet the needs of the learners, and ranged from farm walks to formal technical and business conferences.

The project ran until the end of August 2006 in which time it delivered 10,000 training days in locations throughout the South West.

Case Study - Mr David Stone, Dairy & Arable farmer

Introduction
Dairy and arable farmer, David Stone, runs a 540-acre family farm in West Devon near Bude with the help of his two sons and semi-retired father who bought the farm in 1969. When David decided he wanted to improve his knowledge on the use of pesticides and crop spraying techniques on his 250 arable acres, he chose a BASIS course in agro-chemicals. David has been developing his crop spraying techniques alongside participating in the Bude Agronomy Group.

Bude Agronomy Group
The group consists of 10 local farmers and long time friends, who participated in the original ADAS arable program. The SWELBC Vocational Training Scheme supports regular meetings and visits to each farmer’s farm to examine crops, accompanied by a guest agronomy expert or consultant. The group is able to discuss results, management systems and explores ways of improving yield or soil conditions and find solutions to problems.

SWELBC VTS Courses attended:
• Full BASIS course. A course in agro-chemical course, crop spraying and agronomy
• Nitrogen and Sulphur Management Training
• Crop Fungicide Training
• Arable bus trip to trials research site in Windborne, Dorset.

Benefits
David is putting his new knowledge to good use on his 250 acres of winter wheat and winter barley. His aim is self sufficiency - to home grow feed for the farms dairy herd, which is both traceable and eco friendly. David says the key benefit from attending both the Bude Agronomy Group and the BASIS course has been simple – saving money and improving yields.

David explained, “The Agronomists, Bill Butler and Arthur Hulls have taught us how to reduce inputs to get similar or increased yields. This means not necessarily using full rates of fungicides, which weeds are safe to leave in the fields without detriment to yields and how to reduce the use of fertilisers and use them more efficiently.”

“I am confident enough now to reduce seed rates per acre, in the knowledge that my yields will not suffer, because I produce stronger more resilient plants. This saves me money on seeds, on sprays and is more beneficial to the environment”.

David has been more than happy with the quality of instruction he has received he said “The Vocational Training Scheme identifies just the right specialist for the groups needs or the course being run. It has been invaluable having access to these experts”.