Farmers rely on a lot of service professionals to enhance decision-making on-farm in order to further profitability. The ASA Building Agri Networks breakfast in Kilkenny on Friday explored the need to create a forum, or service provider network (SPN), where all those professionals could communicate between each other.

“The main goal for us is to be better decision-makers on farm in terms of grass management, accounting etc,” said dairy farmer and 2013 Nuffield scholar Mark Rochford. “The farmer needs specialists in each area, but there is zero collaboration between parties.”

Our common goal is to keep farmers in business, but we work in an industry where it is hard to get to know each other

Increasing fragmentation in the industry means that agri-professionals often work in isolation. Finola McCoy’s Nuffield research showed that SPNs, such as Landbridge in the UK, are a useful way to achieve a common goal once they are facilitated by an honest broker.

“I have a strong link with pig vets, but it is easy as there are only three practices in the country,” said Heather Peppard, nutritionist in Brett Brothers Ltd. “Our common goal is to keep farmers in business, but we work in an industry where it is hard to get to know each other.”

The audience heard that there is a need for a consistent message and not having parties playing off each other. However, the responsibility of creating such an SPN lies with each and every individual in the industry.

Suggested SPNs include:

  • Breakfast or lunch once a week between professionals.
  • Broadening the reach of the ASA to include other disciplines involved in the agri sphere such as veterinary science.
  • Teagasc ConnectEd (see below).
  • The farmer can create a WhatsApp group to include all of his/her service providers (eg bank manager, accountant, adviser, feed sales rep, vet etc).
  • Many farmers use Twitter on a daily basis and it provides a platform for interaction.
  • Teagasc ConnectEd

    A new knowledge programme, Teagasc ConnectEd , aims to extend Teagasc’s knowledge transfer and research programmes to rural professionals and businesses in Ireland. It was developed to provide knowledge programmes for professionals and businesses that provide essential services and support to farmers and the Irish agri-food sector.

    “At the end of the day, if farm service providers have some common ground and a common objective, then it is always better to work together,” said Richard O’Brien, Teagasc dairy adviser. “From a Teagasc perspective, we have access to the most up-to-date research and if we can share that with others working with farmers, we are all supporting a common message.”