Dairy academy will tackle skills problem
08 December 2009
Call to provide specialist advice and training for farmers being answered
By Joe Watson
Published: 05/12/2009
A new academy to train dairy farmers and the staff who work on their farms has been set up in Scotland.
The facility, based at the Barony College near Dumfries, is being backed by Skills Development Scotland, milk levy board DairyCo, NFU Scotland, First Milk, the Scottish Agricultural College and rural sector skills council Lantra.
It should help address an increasing skills problem that was highlighted in a recent Farm Animal Welfare Council report.
It was deeply critical of the dairy sector for failing to make any significant advances on controlling disease, tackling mastitis and lameness in the last 12 years.
The view was not shared by farmers and their representatives at the time.
The FAWC also urged far greater investment in staff and farmer training to prevent animal welfare being compromised by a shortage of people with the correct skills to properly manage dairy animals.
Adam Wardrop, the Barony’s head of agriculture, said the academy answered the FAWC’s call in being able to provide specialist advice and training to farmers across Scotland.
The majority of its services will be online and will make use of existing advice from DairyCo and a multitude of other training providers. Training courses in local areas are also being contemplated.
Mr Wardrop said the greatest benefit was that training provision would be industry-led rather than through academics deciding the courses.
“This is very much a case of dairy farmers being in control in deciding the type of knowledge and skills that the people on the ground require. We hope it helps improve the bottom line for those businesses take part.”
The eventual hope is that the academy can develop a number of approved courses which can be used to create a recognised qualification in dairy farming and in the management of cattle.
DairyCo board member and dairy farmer Stewart Jamieson said: “The Scottish Dairy Academy will act as a platform to integrate the enthusiasm of youth with the satisfaction of becoming competent livestock technicians, leading to a valued reputation in the dairy industry.”