Stephen Robb from Drumbuoy Farm in Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal is the second Irish person to be awarded the Rosenbohm internship. He will head to northwestern Missouri next week for a few months.

Stephen completed a UCD Food and Agribusiness Management degree in 2015. Since than he completed a research Master’s with Teagasc in Knowledge Transfer. His research area was developing producer groups in the bioenergy sector. He worked closely with advisers and education officers in Oak Park, where he was based for a period.

His father, Liam Robb, farms around Newtowncunningham with his brother Cieran. Stephen is the youngest of four boys. He has a deep interest in farming and has been engaged in many different strands of agriculture during his career path to date. These included spending a summer working with Rand, a large straw assembler in the east of England.

Stephen’s interest in the internship hinged on his desire to gain experience in foreign agricultural business and farming. “The US is a good place to get this,” he said. He is particularly interested in the different farming systems used in the US with a view to observing how agronomy, support, advisory and research systems function. He is also looking forward to experiencing the US way of life.

Stephen wants to experience first-hand the challenges being faced by growers in the US. In doing this he is equally interested in learning what they have done, and continue to do, to deal with these challenges. He wonders if we in Ireland can learn from the experiences and responses of US growers.

His current belief is that farmer attitudes are different in the US. Production, as in yield, is not their sole priority and US farmers do more to maximise value and profit. He is conscious that his host farm, Rosenbohm Farms, is involved in soya bean seed propagation and variety evaluation.

Stephen is particularly interested in the agronomy of maize (corn) and soya beans. But other business tools, such as forward buying and selling and the use of the futures markets, are equally interesting. He is looking forward to seeing and being involved in seed multiplication and processing.

He is very curious about the agricultural extension and advisory landscape and wonders how it compares with the operations of Teagasc.

The internship

The internship is organised by the Irish Tillage and Land Use Society/Ulster Arable Society and Rosenbohm Farms. It aimed to provide a full season of farm experience on a US farm but time constraints and visa obligations have curtained these objectives. However, the opportunity to experience the harvest season and its associated business decisions regarding contract production, forward selling etc, still provides lots of learning opportunities.

Stephen became aware of the internship from reports in the Irish Farmers Journal last year by Denis Dunne from Kildare, the previous intern. Denis returned home last December and said that his time with the Rosenbohm family altered his view on many aspects of life. He described the internship as the experience of a lifetime and thanked the Rosenbohm family for the opportunity.

Asked what he saw as the main benefits from his experiences, he said that his adventure has made him more confident and enabled him to put more value on his own ideas. He was also impressed by factors such as:

Good relationships: Very important in business. He said all parts are available from the Rosenbohm’s local John Deere dealer within 24 hours of ordering.

Marketing: Very different to Ireland in that it encompasses a current and future outlook. All grain is given a target price for the year. In 2016 this was $4/bushel for maize and $10.50/bu for soya beans. Both were achieved. Grain was sold post-harvest for a future delivery date.

Efficiency: Everything is designed to require less labour and deliver high output. For example, the farm system enables trucks to be weighed, unloaded or loaded, without moving off the weighbridge. This also helps road weight-limit adherence. Everything on the farm is organised so that it can be done quicker than required. All three generations on the farm maintain a strong connection with it.

Efficiency is not just about getting a job done. It also involves minute planning. For example, each combine gets a full inspection before harvest and any potential problems are either repaired or highlighted as potential problems which may need to be addressed during the harvest.

Opportunities: One major lesson for Denis was the endless possibilities that lie outside the front door. Working hard is important but meeting people is where new doors are opened.

Planning: Now is the time to plan for the future, Denis said. Today’s investment should provide for current capacity but plans should reflect potential future needs. For example, a recent investment on the Rosenbohm farm saw one new dryer and two storage bins erected. However, the plans cater for two dryers and 12 bins. Planning now can reduce cost later.

Social interaction: Denis learned about the importance of having a hobby or pastime as an escape from work. It is essential to find time to socialise. While work is important, it is equally important to take opportunities to meet other people. This is even more important in rural areas, even if only for morning coffee or Saturday breakfast. That’s where you learn what’s going on locally.

In summary, Denis said that his time in America has helped him focus more on the remainder of his college education and on his career path. It also helped him visualise his potential within Irish agriculture. A visit to FAPRI (Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute), which told him about projections, futures markets and the stock market, made him realise that such information can give one great insights into what could happen if things don’t change, or what change can make happen.