NBA Winter Magazine_2023_

Industry News
AHDB Beef & Lamb’s new knowledge
exchange programme aims to
challenge farmer thinking for long
term business success
Farmers, industry stakeholders, and the wider agricultural community
are invited to join AHDB Beef & Lamb in embracing its new “Roots to
Resilience” programme and its goal to empower farmers and build a more
resilient future for British agriculture.
On 18 October, AHDB’s Beef &
Lamb team unveiled its innovative
systems-based Knowledge
Exchange Programme, Roots to
Resilience, challenging farmers to stop
thinking in black and white and unlock their
full potential. This systems-based approach
recognises that agriculture is not just about
individual people, crops or livestock but
involves a multitude of factors, relationships,
and feedback loops that influence each other
and the entire system.
Head of Engagement for beef and lamb,
Samantha Charlton comments on the
programme: “Our levy payers are at the heart
of everything we do at AHDB and Roots to
Resilience is about shining a light on the
people within farming businesses.
“It can be challenging
for farmers to focus on
the future and invest in
themselves when their
time and headspace is
filled with daily tasks and
problem solving. We want
to challenge their thinking
and help them reach their
long-term goals by looking
at the entire system instead
of focussing on technical
application alone. We
understand that every
farmer and every farm is
different, and that one
size fits all approaches
are outdated and rarely
successful.”
The new programme kicks off this week with
a three-day workshop in Sutton Coldfield,
which sold out in October, less than 24 hours
after it was announced. It will incorporate
part of the renowned Ranch Management
Consultants (RMC) ‘Ranching for Profit’
course which will be presented by RMC
owner Dallas Mount. Dallas has worked with
thousands of farmers & ranchers across the
US, Canada, Mexico and Australia to position
their businesses for economic profit and
ecological health.
A two-day workshop also ran for industry
consultants ahead of the farmer-specific
session earlier this week, focussing on
developing their understanding of the new
systems-based approach and discussing how
they will work with the involved farmers and
AHDB to motivate positive change.
Key industry topics identified and discussed
at these workshops will inform AHDB Beef
& Lamb’s knowledge exchange programme
activity throughout 2024 and this will be open
to all levy payers. It will provide more targeted
support for levy payers in areas that they’ve
expressed will really make a difference to
them and their businesses.
Samantha said: “The programme is designed
to give delegates the opportunity to step
away from practical farming and focus on
long-term planning. It is very much about
focussing on people and what they want to
achieve not just in their businesses, but in
their lives, as we know how intrinsically linked
the two are.
“The workshop will play a pivotal role in not
only providing those attending with bespoke
action plans for their businesses, but in
equipping us at AHDB with greater insight
into the topics that our levy payers want and
need more help with, so we can deliver the
best value for money in terms of the support
services we offer.”
To read more about the Roots to Resilience
programme: https://ahdb.org.uk/roots-toresilience/
WINTER 2023 | The National Beef Association Magazine 11