Modern farming is a skilled operation that requires in equal measure technical proficiency, business acumen and environmental awareness.

You told us you need:

• Environmental management
• Literacy, numeracy and communication
• Technical
• Computing
• Business skills – linked to the high proportion of self-employed workers

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Agriculture Crops Skills Needs

We understand your needs

 

Environmental Management

You have a unique responsibility for managing the countryside as 75% of land in the UK is under agricultural management. You need to manage your environmental footprint as well as react to increasing regulation and climate change (e.g. flood management), whilst producing food and protecting your most precious resources – soil and water – at the same time.

Technical

Ongoing agricultural research and development is vital to the future of agriculture. Increasing scientific and technical research results need to be adopted in practices on farm.  You need additional technical skills, such as the agronomy of crops and management of livestock diseases and biosecurity, to suit changing weather patterns and manage renewable energy technology.

Computing

 Computers are now widespread within agriculture, used in highly complex tractors and machinery for soil and yield mapping (called precision farming) and in diagnosing machinery problems.

Business skills – linked to the high proportion of self-employed workers

You are multi-talented and need to have skills in managing all aspects of their business. In most cases, you will be responsible for overall business skills such as managing staff, budgeting and record keeping, keeping up-to-date with increasing regulatory requirements, managing livestock and crops production systems, purchasing and marketing, as well as actually carrying out the day-to-day farm work.

Clear guidance on sources and access to funding

We have been listening. You said it was complicated and time-consuming to find funding and support for you and your business. We have created a special tool that does some of the hard work for you and points you in the right direction.

o find out more about Fund Finder and all the ways we can help you, click here.

Other training requirements at different job levels within the industry

Semi-skilled staff

• Health and safety awareness
• Basic machiney operation 
• Basic skills (numeracy and literacy)

Skillled staff

• Health and safety awareness
• Pesticides
• Telescopic forklift handler
• Computing 
• Environmental awareness 

Owner/ manager

• Health and safety management
• Financial personnel, risk, business and change
• Computing and ICT
• Environmental Management