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Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

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  • Farm Family Key Skills (FFKS) Scheme information

    Topics:
    • Rural Development, 
    • Rural development programme

    FFKS provides a range of short, topic based training courses and workshops on a range of current and emerging topics across 5 key areas.

    5 Key areas

    • Animal Health
    • Business Planning
    • Health & Safety (Including First Aid)
    • Environmental sustainability
    • New technologies in ICT

    Courses are delivered by professionals with experience and expertise in their sector and provide awareness training on a range of topics within each of the keys areas.

    Examples of workshops to date include:

    • Responsible Use of Antibiotics in the Dairy Herd
    • Taxation & Succession Planning
    • Making Tax Digital
    • First Aid
    • Nutrient Management & Soil Analysis Interpretation.

    Who is eligible to attend?

    FFKS courses are open to farmers, growers, farm family members and farm employees. Training is delivered free of charge to these members in local venues across Northern Ireland.

    Since the scheme was launched in 2016 over 8,500 farm family members and employees have availed of the training.

    What are the benefits?

    • Greater awareness and knowledge of topical issues impacting on farm businesses that can help with on-farm decision making.
    • Courses are tailored to match the needs and availability of people working in particular sectors, for example courses for the dairy industry can be structured to avoid milking times.
    • Courses are free for farmers, growers, farm family members and employees and are held in local venues.
    • Courses last no longer than 3 hours to minimise time away from your business.

    How do you find out what’s on?

    • Visit the CAFRE website: www.cafre.ac.uk/industry-support/farm-family-key-skills/
    • E-mail kt.admin@daera-ni.gov.uk

    Related content

    • 2014 - 2020 Rural Development Programme
    • Administration of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (NIRDP)
    • Agri-environment schemes
    • Agri-Food Co-operation Scheme (AFCS)
    • DAERA Celebrates Projects Completed and Funded by the Rural Tourism Scheme
    • DAERA Horse Racing Fund (HRF)
    • Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme (ESA) and Countryside Management Scheme (CMS)
    • European Innovation Partnership (EIP) scheme
    • Farm Business Improvement Scheme - Capital Scheme (FBIS-C)
    • Farm Business Improvement Scheme Capital Scheme (FBIS-C) Tier 2 Tranche 2
    • Farm Business Improvement Scheme – Capital (FBIS – C) - ‘Making It Safer’ Self-Assessment
    • Farm Business Improvement Scheme – Capital (FBIS – C) Tier 2 Tranche 2 - CAFRE Nutrient Calculators videos
    • Farm Business Improvement Scheme – Capital (FBIS – C) Tier 2 Tranche 2 - Information Sessions
    • Farm Business Improvement Scheme – Capital (FBIS – C) – Tier 2 Tranche 2- Business Plan
    • FBIS Capital Scheme - contact details
    • FBIS Capital Scheme - Ineligible items/projects
    • FBIS Capital Scheme - Tier 1 Tranche 4
    • Information and guidance on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform
    • Overview of Rural Policy Framework for NI
    • RDP Business Development Groups
    • Recap of Rural Policy Framework for NI
    • Rural development benchmarking 2015 - 2016
    • The Rural Network
    • Thematic Pillar 1: Innovation & Entrepreneurship
    • Thematic Pillar 2: Sustainable Tourism
    • Thematic Pillar 3: Health and Wellbeing
    • Thematic Pillar 4: Employment
    • Thematic Pillar 5: Connectivity
    • Things to do and where to go on holidays and weekends
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