New courses launched to help food producers and processors
THE region’s farmers and food producers will soon be able to benefit from a series of specialist courses being rolled out in the New Year.
The courses are being organised by the Farexchange Partnership – a new Government and EU-backed initiative for developing sustainable and secure food supply chains.
Farexchange’s courses are open to Yorkshire’s food manufacturers, farmers and growers. For RDPE/Defra eligible farmers the cost will be subsidised by 70%.
The first three day in food chain excellence will take place in in February. It is being run in conjunction with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and will feature guest speakers to help agri-food businesses develop a better understanding of the future of the sector and the next steps in food innovation.
Bespoke director development courses are also on offer to improve the leadership and communication abilities of key staff at the highest level by helping them identify, plan and deliver training and development interventions.
Future events in the pipeline include The Fantasy Farming League (FFL) – a unique concept to practice sustainable farming within the UK, and Bridging the Gap – a two-day event aimed at developing better working relationships and stronger lines of communication between the different links of the supply chain.
Meanwhile, Travel to Learn will take groups of top food professionals and farmers to visit businesses in Europe to learn about best practice and to identify new products and opportunities.
Farexchange’s operational manager Paul Rhodes said he was confident that the training would provide the key to unlocking skills potential in the food industry.
He said: “These courses are a central plank in our goal of ensuring an exciting new era of co-operation between food companies and the agriculture sector.
“By teaching new skills and developing innovative thinking, the project can help companies in the supply chain stay ahead of the game.”
Farexchange is managed by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward and run in partnership by English Food and Farming Partnerships in collaboration with the Regional Food Group, Country Land & Business Association, National Farmers Union, Fare Solutions, Askham Bryan College, Bishop Burton College, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, EBLEX and BPEX.
Places on the Farexchange courses can be booked through Steve Dunkley of the English Farming and Food Partnerships on 07841 570549.
