Study tour for NI farmers involved in beef finishing or suckled calf production

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is offering farmers involved in beef finishing and suckled calf production the opportunity to travel to England to learn about innovative systems for finishing cattle. This trip is part of the Farm Innovation Visits Scheme. A particular focus of the visits will be on feedlot finishing of other people’s cattle, where the business model involves ownership being retained by the primary producer.

Participants will visit Doug Deer, owner of the award winning beef cattle licenced finishing unit, D&P Custom Feeding.

DAERA’s College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) will manage the trip and Mr Jimmy Hislop, a Beef and Sheep consultant will be providing specialist support to help the group consider the merits of the business models being demonstrated.

The group will leave from Belfast City Airport on 13 February and will return on 14 February and will be led by CAFRE advisers Francis Breen and Kevin O’Donnell.

Fifteen places are available and will be awarded on a competitive basis.

Applications are invited from one member or employee of farm businesses who is 18 years old on the application closing date and not in full-time education. In addition, those applying must have financially benchmarked their farm within the last two years and applicants must identify a group of farmers to share their findings with upon their return. 

The Farm Innovation Visit scheme, which is part of the NI Rural Development Programme and part funded by the EU, will cover the costs associated with setting up the visit, accommodation, travel outside of Northern Ireland, breakfast, lunch and evening meals when in England.  Participants will be expected to meet any additional costs including farm relief and travel insurance.

Farmers involved in Beef Finishing or Suckled Calf Production who are interested in participating can find out more details and complete an application on the CAFRE website.

Applications open on Monday 7 January and close on Friday 18 January at 4pm.

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