23/10/07
Richard Pye, an FdSc Agriculture student studying at Myerscough
College has received the RABDF/Defra Farm Health Planning Award,
a new awareness raising initiative for younger members of the
industry.
Richard Pye receives the RABDF / Defra Farm Health Planning Award
from left, RABDF chairman, Lyndon Edwards and independent consultant, John
Sumner.
|
At a presentation at the Farmers Club, London, today, Friday 19
October, Richard was awarded a £500 cash prize by Defra,
and the college he represented received £500 towards a farm
health planning project.
A £50 cash prize and certificate was presented to
each of the three other finalists short-listed for the award: Alex Baines
studying BSc Hons Agriculture and Business Management at Writtle College;
William Wood, a 2007 FdSc Agriculture with Livestock Technologies graduate,
Myerscough College and Robert Yarwood, HNC Dairy Herd Management, Reaseheath
College.
The award was introduced this year as part of the industry / Defra partnership’s
Farm Health Planning initiative. Open to students studying at an agriculture
college in England, the entrants were required to prepare a 1,500 word
essay demonstrating their understanding of proactive farm health planning
on dairy and or beef units. They were asked to identify the current barriers
to adopting such a strategy and how to overcome those issues in their
quest to improve herd health and profitability. The essays were judged
by a panel featuring three representatives on the FHP working group:
farmer, David Sansome; vet in practice, Andrew Praill and independent
consultant, John Sumner.
“Each of the finalists showed a good understanding of the issues
for consideration and were not short of ideas for improving the uptake
of proactive health planning,” commented Mr Sumner. “However,
Richard had the winning edge with an essay which placed a strong emphasis
on disease prevention and demonstrated his practical experience of managing
health plans on his family’s Lancashire dairy farm based at
Quernmore, near Lancaster.
“Furthermore, Richard supported his arguments with relevant and
up to date research and statistics. The judges were also impressed with
his understanding of why more farmers don't currently practice proactive
health planning and he offered some innovative ideas for overcoming such
barriers.”
RABDF chairman, Lyndon Edwards added: “This new award, targeted
at the next generation of dairy and beef producers, is an important step
in the challenge of getting more farmers to recognise the value of proactive
health planning. Apart from meeting the requirements of retailers
and consumers who rightly expect good standards of animal health and
welfare, achieving and maintaining high levels of herd health reduces
costs and improves the profitability of the business. Therefore,
it is vital for the next farming generation to grasp the opportunity
offered by proactive health planning which will help to ensure their
sustainability in an ever increasing competitive food industry.”
US
Announces Boost for FAO's Bird Flu Programme
FAO Sounds Alarm on Loss of Livestock Breeds
Farming
Union Welcomes Lifting of Restrictions |