What does/ has AHDB done for you?

[YorksLass]

Doing a bit of research here folks and looking for some honest, detailed answers! What do you think AHDB does for you as the producer? Does it help? Could it do more? if so what....

What about AHDB and the processor? Are they any help there?

Any other thoughts welcome!

Thanks very much

 

[Bruce Almighty]

I went to a very interesting AHDB talk last week called Grow more-graze more-earn more, it was 10 miles away.

I do find most of the events are in a neighbouring county 30-40 miles away which puts me off

 

[Grassman247]

They’ve done absolutely nothing as far as I’m concerned.

I’d like to see an industry standard training program for staff and I’d also like to see the money spent on TV advertising the benefits of milk and getting more people attracted to the industry. The amount vegans spend of telling the population how bad farming is perhaps it’s time we did some of our own.

Have said this many times at the AHDB stand at the livestock event but it falls on deaf ears.

 

[cattow]

I went to a very interesting AHDB talk last week called Grow more-graze more-earn more, it was 10 miles away.

I do find most of the events are in a neighbouring county 30-40 miles away which puts me off

I went to the one last Friday, thought it was very good. Went to a maize one last year that was also very good only me & one other farmer turned up.

 

[dairyrow]

Not much and getting less. I can't do the meetings and everybody wants to do meetings these days. How many do you go to. Rather there was online courses with the latest thinking and ideas. Maybe some kind of
Online exam and a qualification at the end of it. So farmers and employees can do them. Would like to know more about lean management, financial management and maybe staff management.
Personally milk promotion there should be a levy off the profits of milk processors. But it'll most probably be us paying for that as well.

I do think there needs to be a clamp down on consultants employed by them as well. They're usually the ones who fight against farmers on claims against big companies. Hellish hard to national people to go against them ahdb give it to one person or make it contractual in some way.

If I'm really honest though I'd like teagasc organisation and I would like them to run a network of rented farms. With full costings and see how well these so called experts fair in the real world!

Just my thoughts.

 

[lazy farmer]

Not much and getting less. I can't do the meetings and everybody wants to do meetings these days. How many do you go to. Rather there was online courses with the latest thinking and ideas. Maybe some kind of
Online exam and a qualification at the end of it. So farmers and employees can do them. Would like to know more about lean management, financial management and maybe staff management.
Personally milk promotion there should be a levy off the profits of milk processors. But it'll most probably be us paying for that as well.

I do think there needs to be a clamp down on consultants employed by them as well. They're usually the ones who fight against farmers on claims against big companies. Hellish hard to national people to go against them ahdb give it to one person or make it contractual in some way.

If I'm really honest though I'd like teagasc organisation and I would like them to run a network of rented farms. With full costings and see how well these so called experts fair in the real world!

Just my thoughts.

very much like your last idea particularly as AHDB are now targeting block calvers and AYR calvers as different groups and could have "model farms" for both groups. though in the back of my mind i think they are trying to set up model farms in conjuction with host farmers.

 

[Wooly]

NFU last week, AHDB this............ mixed in with Farmers Weekly, Dyson and John Deere bashing.


Just proves what a negative bunch of moaners we are becoming !

 

[dairyrow]

The problem with the farms is. On a rented farm I wouldn't really want to be divulging my financial data. Landlord and rent reviews. I say this because the investment for rented farms has to be scrutinized more than on a owned farm because you've an asset to get loans against.
I just find they're too spread out ATM. Would of loved to have gone to evolutions farm in leicestershire.
Maybe set up groups of farms and have a competition to see which group can improve farms better.

 

[Tarw Coch]

I went to the one last Friday, thought it was very good. Went to a maize one last year that was also very good only me & one other farmer turned up.

Them maize ones must have been popular, I went to one last year, turned up late ate the free lunch, got to listen in on one of their experts blowing smoke up the host farmers ass, most embarrassing really, I thought he made a complete prat of himself, didn't think much of the presentation he gave either, I think he really believed contractors were going to adjust tyre pressures in tractors and trailers every time they went off the road.
Anyway, I only went for a nosey around the host farm so I guess I got what i wanted out of it.
BTW, there were only 2 farmers at that one before I turned up, ah well, all the more free lunch for me, and I don't even grow maize.

 

[westwards]

They do not ask producers what they want or need in the way of help, they are out of control and a Tax on the industry, that we get very poor value for.

Not been a local meeting in 8 years and the nearest one I have been at was three and a half hours drive away !!

 

[Bald Rick]

They are world class at creaming off my levy.

 

[Princess Pooper]

Crikey, where to start.
Some really useful webinars on a wide range of topics which can help when not able to get to farm meetings - a difficulty for us as we have no staff so travel can be difficult. For example I watched the Johnes one last week at my convenience, free to access on Youtube.
Economic info in my inbox on a regular basis - eg the recent forecasts for a muted spring peak - on top of the Forage for Knowledge newsletter which is useful to see how our growth rates are doing and the nutrient content of grass as the season progresses, plus topical tips.
We have turned our heifer rearing over completely using mainly advice from AHDB over the last 8-9 years with fantastic results, they have run some good meetings on this and they have no vested interest as regards brands and volumes of milk powder etc. Looked at the energy calculator just today for milk intake volumes for calves.

Keep thinking of things to add - useful on-farm meeting on cattle handling last year (Miriam Parker). Some very practical stuff about how to reduce stress for us and cows and speed some jobs up.

I do a lot of public and school visits and use their resources constantly, I am also signposting others to them eg the Food a Fact of Life resources.

Industry involvement in important animal health campaigns such as BVD free and Johnes. One day the UK health status might equal that of some of our continental neighbours.
My vet's view of mastitis and lameness has been increased by participation in AHDB vet initiatives which has then helped their on-farm advice to us.

I am constantly using the website as a reference source - sometimes admittefdly it falls short, but getting my head around ghg emissions and the win-wins involved has been one area where AHDB have been really useful to me -I have used this information to educate 6th formers as well. Increasingly my milk buyer is upping its standards relating to herd health in particular and AHDB have helped us to improve this (we were able to tick the 'already doing' box in the latest set of changes they sent out).

I know they are funding research both at the farm end and also at the consumer end (through the Dairy Council) to help educate health professionals and the recent joint funded Be Scrumptious campaign is starting to kick in with adverts in major rail stations in London etc. Hard to measure benefit, but it's certainly got people talking.

We do use PLI and genomics in our bull selections and look carefully at bull proofs and knowing that AHDB as an independent are heavily involved in this and that it is paid for out of levy is good.

I could go on, and I could go onto beef and cereals which are a small element on this farm, but I've kept it to dairy as that is the main enterprise.

 

[RastaBoy]

They’ve done nothing for me. Parasites imho.
Last time I looked a gravy train for failed farmers.
My local advisor was sold up by the bank when I last looked. If he can’t run his own business buggered if I’m having anything to do with any firm that employs him. Anyone can hit hard times and lose a business but he wasted his. This was last time I looked mind which was probably five years ago. I try to ignore them and hope they’ll go away.

 

[supercow]

The problem with the farms is. On a rented farm I wouldn't really want to be divulging my financial data. Landlord and rent reviews. I say this because the investment for rented farms has to be scrutinized more than on a owned farm because you've an asset to get loans against.
I just find they're too spread out ATM. Would of loved to have gone to evolutions farm in leicestershire.
Maybe set up groups of farms and have a competition to see which group can improve farms better.

You have to class any investment you do on the farm for example sheds as an asset because when you get out of the farm the labdlord pays for tenants improvements. Ahdb have done nothing for me, their numbers cannot be near accurate

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Crikey, where to start.
Some really useful webinars on a wide range of topics which can help when not able to get to farm meetings - a difficulty for us as we have no staff so travel can be difficult. For example I watched the Johnes one last week at my convenience, free to access on Youtube.
Economic info in my inbox on a regular basis - eg the recent forecasts for a muted spring peak - on top of the Forage for Knowledge newsletter which is useful to see how our growth rates are doing and the nutrient content of grass as the season progresses, plus topical tips.
We have turned our heifer rearing over completely using mainly advice from AHDB over the last 8-9 years with fantastic results, they have run some good meetings on this and they have no vested interest as regards brands and volumes of milk powder etc. Looked at the energy calculator just today for milk intake volumes for calves.

Keep thinking of things to add - useful on-farm meeting on cattle handling last year (Miriam Parker). Some very practical stuff about how to reduce stress for us and cows and speed some jobs up.

I do a lot of public and school visits and use their resources constantly, I am also signposting others to them eg the Food a Fact of Life resources.

Industry involvement in important animal health campaigns such as BVD free and Johnes. One day the UK health status might equal that of some of our continental neighbours.
My vet's view of mastitis and lameness has been increased by participation in AHDB vet initiatives which has then helped their on-farm advice to us.

I am constantly using the website as a reference source - sometimes admittefdly it falls short, but getting my head around ghg emissions and the win-wins involved has been one area where AHDB have been really useful to me -I have used this information to educate 6th formers as well. Increasingly my milk buyer is upping its standards relating to herd health in particular and AHDB have helped us to improve this (we were able to tick the 'already doing' box in the latest set of changes they sent out).

I know they are funding research both at the farm end and also at the consumer end (through the Dairy Council) to help educate health professionals and the recent joint funded Be Scrumptious campaign is starting to kick in with adverts in major rail stations in London etc. Hard to measure benefit, but it's certainly got people talking.

We do use PLI and genomics in our bull selections and look carefully at bull proofs and knowing that AHDB as an independent are heavily involved in this and that it is paid for out of levy is good.

I could go on, and I could go onto beef and cereals which are a small element on this farm, but I've kept it to dairy as that is the main enterprise.

I am not going to comment on the main thread bit, but most research I want to do on our industries over here - it is easier to find the relevant information via the AHDB site!
They are like the secret service of agriculture, it sounds like you want to hear the secrets!

 

[Bruce Almighty]

I went to the one last Friday, thought it was very good. Went to a maize one last year that was also very good only me & one other farmer turned up.

I must have seen you there, but sorry I can't picture you now ?
I was in the middle nearly at the back asking too many questions !

 

[Suffolk Serf]

Well, from AHDB Pork we get standardised staff training (as suggested by @Grassman247 above.) and very good it is too, six sessions for £150 is really excellent value.
We get market information. We get technical advice, support for discussion groups, on farm trial support. I could go on and on.
If you're prepared to engage with them they are excellent value for the levy IMHO.

 

[TomB]

If you're prepared to engage with them they are excellent value for the levy IMHO.

This to a good extent. Have got a lot out of Dairyco/ahdbover the years. If you can get on with your extension officer, push them for whatever information you need, they are always desperate for ideas for interesting meetings and hosts, help them a bit and they should help you.

However they did have a spell a year or two ago where they lost a number of excellent staff to the private sector which was a little frustrating.

They are definitely looking to setup a network of monitor Farms like the Evolution dairy at Leicester. Whether anyone else has signed up I’m not sure.

 

[vantage]

Frustratingly a lot of the work done by AHDB is replicated in Wales by Farming Connect.There is also a high turnover of extension officers,some of their work is good,but I object to being excluded from some 'targeted' meetings,is attendance that high there's no room? Staff management was a meeting I would like to have attended,because I hoped to learn something about managing staff I hope to employ in the future,but was not 'targeted '.

 

[RobFZS]

Been a few of their meets locally, decent do