CFE training events start to get the message across

Efforts to train the UK's agronomists in environmentally friendly farming methods as part of the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) have made a healthy start.

Five awareness raising and training events in the past fortnight aimed at agronomists and farming advisers have proved a success. The events were held on farms across the country including the RSPB's Hope Farm in Cambridgeshire and were attended by 42 advisers.

In a response survey 73 per cent of the attendees said they now have a significant understanding of the objectives of the Campaign and 100 per cent said they will be encouraging their clients to take part.

But campaign partners have said there is more work to be done to reach those agronomists and farm advisers who are not yet fully aware of the aims of the campaign. The RSPB has called on agronomy firms and independent agronomist groups to book Hope Farm for a free training day in which experts from key CFE partners will be on hand to guide them through the environmental measures included in the campaign.

Jim Egan, Technical Director of FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group) and Chairman of the CFE Delivery Group, said: "These five events, as well as two held last year, have enabled us to reach a total of 120 agronomists and advisers and have proved a real success.

"These are the people who can make a real difference to the way farms are run on the ground and it is essential our experts meet them face to face to demonstrate how the aims of the campaign can be achieved and why they are so important, both for our countryside's wildlife and the future of the farming industry.

"We have had a really positive response from those who attended these events. A lot of them arrived thinking the Campaign just meant more paperwork for them to fill in for their clients but they went away with a real understanding of the importance of the Campaign."

The Campaign has so far directly reached 800 agronomists and farm advisers. As well as the training events this has been achieved through speaking at agronomy conferences and briefings and attending company training days. The target is to reach 1,500 over three years.

Richard Winspear, RSPB farming adviser, said: "The events so far have been very encouraging but more needs to be done to get the message across.

"Hope Farm is run as a commercial farm and features many of the environmental measures the Campaign is calling on farmers to put in place on their land. If any agronomist groups or companies want to learn about the details of these measures from the experts then all they need to do is call us to book a day.

"Getting the message across to one agronomist means we are ultimately reaching 100 farmers. If this Campaign is to be a success, and our countryside and wildlife are to be protected, it is vital that we get this message out to every farmer in the UK."

Any agronomy firms and groups who want to book Hope Farm for a CFE training and awareness day can call Chris Bailey, RSPB Hope Farm Manager, on (01954) 267438.