5 February 2020
“Spending time visiting rural businesses In different regions is a valuable way to see best practice in action, discover new ways of working and re-energise your own business,” says young farmer Gwenan Davies of Mydroilyn YFC, who last October, joined seven club members on a three day Farming Connect study visit to Scotland, where the topic under review was diversification.
In a packed fact-finding itinerary, the group visited a wide range of diversified rural enterprises including tourism and equestrian ventures; a butchery business and a beef and sheep farm which had diversified into running a successful transport business. They were hosted by Scottish families involved with their own local YFCs. At the end of their visit, it was clear that every one of the Ceredigion farmers had been inspired, with many lessons learned and opinions debated openly.
Mydroilyn YFC member Marged Jones, whose family run a dairy farm and caravan park near New Quay, said that the visit had given the group the confidence to think more positively about their ideas and a sense of believing that anything is possible if you do your research and start on a manageable scale, since many new ventures are not always as risky or expensive to set up as you first think.
“We visited Ingliston Country Club, which in just 12 years, thanks to a steady plan of development, has gone from being a small farm with just a few stables operated by family members only, to a business that now has 200 stables and employs over 160 staff,” said Marged.
Gwenan said the study visit was unanimously felt to have been a hugely beneficial opportunity.
“By the time we were travelling back to Wales, there was the sense that we had all gained a lot of very valuable experience and knowledge, and I think we were all determined to implement some of what we had seen and learned at home.”
Thirty-four groups of farmers and foresters from Wales, with very different areas of interest, have been able to see at first-hand what has made wide a range of rural businesses throughout the UK successful, thanks to Farming Connect’s current study visit programme. They include numerous YFC groups, cattle and grassland societies, Farming Connect discussion group members, dairy and beef co-operatives and many others, all determined to learn all they could about their chosen topics based on the experiences of similar ventures.
The next study visit application window opens on Saturday, 1 February and closes on Friday, 28 February. Each group will need to submit an application form, setting out the name(s) or type(s) of enterprises they wish to visit before they can be allocated funding. Each group is expected to keep a record of its findings to share with others on their return.
Sioned Llywelyn, development and mentoring manager with Menter a Busnes, which together with Lantra Wales delivers Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh Government, emphasised the benefits of group learning, with members able to discuss their ideas for growing their businesses freely with their hosts as well as each other.
“Provided you are registered as an individual with Farming Connect and can assemble a group of at least three like-minded individuals to make a group application, I would urge you start researching the type of businesses you would like to visit and get your application in as soon as you can.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for those working in our industry to see how innovation, new technologies and a willingness to diversify is transforming the efficiency and profitability of many successful businesses throughout the UK.”
Up to £3,000 per group is available to fund 50% of the cost of each study visit, which can cover up to four days of visiting target enterprises anywhere in the UK.
For detailed reports on all previous Farming Connect study visits and to download terms, conditions and an application form for 2020 study visits, click here.
If you need further guidance on Farming Connect study visits, contact sioned.llywelyn@menterabusnes.co.uk or call 01970 631421.
Farming Connect, which is delivered by Menter a Busnes and Lantra, has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.