Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths will today announce the successful candidates for Farming Connect’s inaugural Management Exchange Programme at a special ceremony at the Royal Welsh Show.
The Management Exchange programme fully funds successful candidates up to a maximum of £4,000 to visit a farm or forestry business within the EU for up to six weeks. Some will also host a suitably trained and experienced farm or forest manager currently working in the EU at their home holding.
After a rigorous selection process by an independent judging panel chaired by Prof. Wynne Jones, OBE, FRAgS, Farming Connect selected a group of eight focused and ambitious farmers and foresters keen to enhance their business competitiveness and viability. The exchange programme will allow the successful candidates and their European counterparts to learn from each other, share ideas and best practice and develop improved ways of working.
The Minister said:
“It gives me great pleasure to announce the eight successful candidates for Farming Connect’s first ever Management Exchange Programme.
“This group of ambitious and committed individuals were able to demonstrate that they have the many attributes our industry needs to progress and succeed in an ever-more competitive global market place.
“The Farming Connect exchange programme will broaden the knowledge and technical ability of the participants, provide them with experience and encourage Welsh farmers and foresters to learn about and apply new ways of working”.
Successful participants will disseminate findings from their learning experience through Farming Connect’s communications channels and comprehensive events programme.
Farming Connect is the support service for farm and forestry businesses in Wales, which is funded by Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.