BCG ‘s ‘Young Farmer Network’ Program
Published on 12 October 2022
BCG is starting a Young Farmer Network program in West Wimmera Shire. A session will be held at the Kaniva Community Hub on the 19th of October from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. The session will provide an introduction to the Young Farmer Network Project, look at needs and priorities of the group, discuss stripe rust for 2022 as well as a discussion on heading safely into harvest.
Back in 2017 the BCG GAPP (Growth, Adoption, Production and Profit) program was created as an opportunity for young farmers to socialise, improve their farming knowledge and create and strengthen professional networks. It was an opportunity to build the social fabric within regional and rural communities. It provided an opportunity to interact with industry professionals, extend localised research and communicate with other young farmers about new practices, opportunities and strategies that can increase farm profitability and productivity, and respond to farmer driven questions as they arose in a timely and technical manner.
Expanding and capitalising on the success of GAPP, the BCG Board has allocated funding to establish a ‘Young Farmer Network’. The project is designed to be responsive to young farmer needs and to allow the groups to lead their own activities. BCG will provide guidance, structure and act as a conduit to expertise through BCG staff and a network of professional support. Seven groups will be established across the Wimmera, West Wimmera, Southern Mallee and North Central Regions.
The Young Farmer Network program will allow the groups to take ownership of the direction of the program by identifying the activities, topics, and research that their group undertakes. Each group will have access to a budget for activity expenditure of $5,000 per annum, which can be used to fund specialist advice or representation, product demonstrations, field trips, BBQs, crop-tours or whatever the groups decide is their priority.
A secondary budget of $5,000 will be provided to each group for on-farm trial work to expand on a research or demonstration idea. BCG will provide each group with guidance on the design and implementation of on-farm trials that are designed by the group, and will ensure appropriate assessments, analysis and reporting are undertaken to provide rigorous data to inform group decision making from the project.
The first meetings of each group will occur in 2022. There is no need to be a BCG member to participate, and although termed ‘Young Farmer Network’ it is aimed at the youngest generation actively involved on the farm who is keen to increase their knowledge and understanding of all things related to the farm business including agronomy, resourcing, business management and financial while getting social connection with likeminded peers.
If you wish to be involved in this exciting new program, or know someone who might, please reach out to BCG via Kelly Angel on 0427 564 507 who will lead the initiation of these groups.