AHDB- let’s let them know.

[Farmer T]

Ok- there are numerous threads about the recent direction of the AHDB, and the genuine concern they’re losing their way or maybe not focusing on areas which could help us.

The AHDB are currently applying for a board member- let’s all apply!

https://ahdb.org.uk/vacancies/documents/HortIndependentAHDBboardmemberadverttextdraft2.pdf

They often turn around and say “we want more farmer’s input” so let’s show them a) we’re not happy in the current direction b) we want them to be accountable and offer value for money with our levy.

DISCLAIMER- none of us will get this job!

It’ll go to an ‘established’ name who has years and years experience on boards. Who knows they may be good- however wouldn’t it show the AHDB farmers are serious if they got a thousand farmers applying for it?!

Ps. I’m not anti AHDB. I think it’s a great organisation which could really help my business. However it really frustrates me when they waste £250,000 levy on failed Grain e-passport, spend millions on benchmarking, etc.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

@gone up the hill

 

[Adeptandy]

At £308/day its better than plumbing

 

[Northeastfarmer]

At £308/day its better than plumbing

But only just...

 

[Adeptandy]

But only just...

Depends on the day

Some are worse than farming

 

[Steevo]

Would you rather:

a) a board of directors who were levy payers (note, not just farmers!)
b) a board of directors (farmers or non farmers) voted on by levy payers
c) either of the above with a referrendum of issues voted on by levy payers?

I'll let you squabble over whether it should be per individual, or per £ of levy money!


Almost as bad as politicians...or to take another thread consultants!! Which master do they serve?

 

[Farmer T]

Would you rather:

a) a board of directors who were levy payers (note, not just farmers!)
b) a board of directors (farmers or non farmers) voted on by levy payers
c) either of the above with a referrendum of issues voted on by levy payers?

I'll let you squabble over whether it should be per individual, or per £ of levy money!


Almost as bad as politicians...or to take another thread consultants!! Which master do they serve?

I agree- the best form would be levy payers getting to vote for people who actually stand for something...... but that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

We should be sending the AHDB a sign we’re not happy rather than just venting on here. The email address for applications is

[email protected]

 

[gone up the hill]

AHDB only want people that agree with the way its being run currently to go for this job and even then you have to have a lot of experience in talking corporate double speak to get a look in.

Anyone that might actually bring new ideas and ideas from levy payers about what they want wont get a look in.

Lets be honest the AHDB big wigs still don't get it.. Ie that levy payers aren't happy with the way they are wasting our money!

 

[david]

The x-chief of Carillion must be looking for another well paid job (the leach).

 

[SilliamWhale]

They do seem to know how to spend cash

 

[Sid]

AHDB only want people that agree with the way its being run currently to go for this job and even then you have to have a lot of experience in talking corporate double speak to get a look in.

Any business can be like that!

 

[gone up the hill]

Any business can be like that!

AHDB isn't a business thou..

They really need to start doing what levy payers want and not what the big wigs of the AHDB think they should be doing just to try and justify their jobs.

For example, no way in hell you can defend them spending tens of thousands of levy payers money on telling levy payers how to use electric fences/ how to read a medicine bottle label or even worse show us pictures of fat and store cattle and how to tell each one apart.

FFS utter disgrace that they are wasting our money on gimmicks like this and it HAS to STOP.

 

[Sid]

no way in hell you can defend them spending tens of thousands of levy payers money on telling levy payers how to use electric fences/ how to read a medicine bottle label or even worse show us pictures of fat and store cattle and how to tell each one apart.

Given that there are a lot of out of spec cattle and sheep i think they need to?
Look at medicine useage and people need educating.
If a beef farmer has never used an electric fence and its a way to get better pasture utilisation then who should tell them the best way?

Farmer to farmer is the best way to share knowledge imho.

 

[Sid]

Any business that spends £1 in every £3 on staff cost's wont be in business for very long..

AHDB isn't a business thou..

But you said they are a business?

Put yourself forward...what have you to lose?

 

[gone up the hill]

Given that there are a lot of out of spec cattle and sheep i think they need to?
Look at medicine useage and people need educating.
If a beef farmer has never used an electric fence and its a way to get better pasture utilisation then who should tell them the best way?

Farmer to farmer is the best way to share knowledge imho.

No they don't need to for these farmers.

If farmers are so clueless that they cant read a medicine bottle then they should not be farming!

Colleges/ working as an apprentice is where you should be learning skills such as how to use an electric fence/ tell the difference between a store and fat animal etc.

Taking the pee telling professional farmers how to use an electric fence/ read a medicine bottle.

 

[gone up the hill]

Take Fri steers, most of them are out of spec but that is down to the raw material that dairy farmers provide, nothing that a finisher can do to change this.

Take sheep, many are out of spec because in spec lambs make £70 dead as they don't want them, keep them another month/6 weeks on grass and they are over weight spec wise but make £85/90 head as that is weight lambs the market requires, will have cost maybe £5 head at most to gain another £20 head ( ie £15 net profit ) so that is what farmers do yet AHDB say this is wrong and farmers shouldn't do it. complete BS.

 

[kiwi pom]

AHDB isn't a business thou..

They really need to start doing what levy payers want and not what the big wigs of the AHDB think they should be doing just to try and justify their jobs.

For example, no way in hell you can defend them spending tens of thousands of levy payers money on telling levy payers how to use electric fences/ how to read a medicine bottle label or even worse show us pictures of fat and store cattle and how to tell each one apart.

FFS utter disgrace that they are wasting our money on gimmicks like this and it HAS to STOP.

Sounds a pretty simple job. Will you be applying? should be able to get relief help for the few days a year you'll have to go to meetings. Sacrifice a bit of your time for the good of British ag.

Two questions for you before you get the job.

What if all the levy payers cant agree on what they want?
What if no one agrees with your ideas once your in?
This forum proves every farmer has a different view on things, maybe its not as simple a job as you think.

 

[Sid]

No they don't need to for these farmers.

If farmers are so clueless that they cant read a medicine bottle then they should not be farming!

Colleges/ working as an apprentice is where you should be learning skills such as how to use an electric fence/ tell the difference between a store and fat animal etc.

Taking the pee telling professional farmers how to use an electric fence/ read a medicine bottle.

Many bottles don't actually have dosage instructions anymore they are now on the data sheet.

Being a good farmer doesn't mean you know how to read a bottle/data sheet.

I know little about keeping sheep now as it was 17 years ago they went. Where should I go to get up to speed on sheep keeping then? AHDB would be a good place to start?

 

[gone up the hill]

Sounds a pretty simple job. Will you be applying? should be able to get relief help for the few days a year you'll have to go to meetings. Sacrifice a bit of your time for the good of British ag.

Two questions for you before you get the job.

What if all the levy payers cant agree on what they want?
What if no one agrees with your ideas once your in?
This forum proves every farmer has a different view on things, maybe its not as simple a job as you think.

Well at the moment iv yet to speak to one levy payer ( ie beef and lamb producer ) sectors that thinks the AHDB are doing a good job.

Meetings iv been to its very clear what area's levy payers ( in the above sectors ) want and the main one is advertising of UK beef and lamb yet the AHDB believe spending money in this area is a waste of time.

Key to being a board member is going out and meeting farmers at places like markets etc, talk to them. find out what the common/ most popular areas they want you to work in and take this back to board level and implement it,

Not the farce like now where they hold meetings once a year with levy payers, pretend they are listening then go back and carry on wasting levy payers money like they were last year/ year before etc.

 

[gone up the hill]

Many bottles don't actually have dosage instructions anymore they are now on the data sheet.

Being a good farmer doesn't mean you know how to read a bottle/data sheet.

I know little about keeping sheep now as it was 17 years ago they went. Where should I go to get up to speed on sheep keeping then? AHDB would be a good place to start?

Every medicine bottle has by law to come with either a data sheet/ dosage details etc printed on the bottle, if they are not then the vet is breaking the law!

If you want to go into sheep then either go and work on a sheep farm/ take a college course or employ someone that knows about sheep, utter disgrace that they are using levy payers money to teach people that want to get into the industry.