大象传媒

Charlotte Smith visits a dairy farm in Somerset to learn more about how professional training schemes can boost the skill levels of farm owners and their workers. Over the last few years, farming has become increasingly professionalised and next week, the agriculture and horticulture development board is set to launch a new scheme to encourage farmers to recognise the value of on-the-job training.

Back on the dairy farm, Charlotte meets farm manager David Cotton, the chair of the dairy industry's dairy pro scheme. The scheme allows farmers to collect points in recognition for attending training courses, meetings and discussion events.

It's not only the dairy industry that have their own schemes, we hear from pig farmers and members of the basis scheme, which provides current training for anyone dealing with agricultural chemicals.

Professional training is also having an impact on the way in which farmers manage their farm. Professional leadership courses can help to grow a farm business, whilst the Nuffield agricultural scholarship scheme gives farmers funding to learn new ideas from around the world.

Presented by Charlotte Smith, and produced in Bristol by Jules Benham.