Cereal challenge growers receive awards

The first Cereal Challenge participants recently received their Edexcel-approved Awards from Mr Roy McClenaghan, Deputy Secretary DARD, at a presentation evening in the White Horse Hotel, Campsie.

The Cereal Challenge was developed by Greenmount Campus, in consultation with the industry and is designed to encourage growers to examine all aspects of their enterprise and challenge themselves to make improvements in performance. This pilot group consisted of 17 members of the Progressive Arable Producers Group in the North West and they attended a series of 9 evening meetings and 5 field based workshops. The areas covered included finance, nutrient management, crop establishment, disease control, harvest and storage

The emphasis of the programme is on group learning with open discussion encouraged so that participants can learn from each other’s experience in a relaxed and informal environment.

The practical side of the programme is very important and all "classroom" sessions are backed up by in-field workshops to demonstrate the theory in practice. A unique part of the Challenge programme is the support the local Crops Development Adviser gives participants. Through on-farm mentoring, the grower is assisted to apply the theory in a practical way to his business.

Feedback from the pilot group has been excellent and as a result the programme has been rolled out to two further groups during 2006. These groups will take part in the programme over two years.

If you are interested in joining a Cereal Challenge group in your area please contact Greenmount Campus (028 9442 6783).

Roy McClenaghan, Deputy Secretary DARD, seated 3rd from right, with 14 growers from the Progressive Arable Producers Group who received ED -Excel Awards after completing the Cereal Challenge. Back right, Robin Bolton Crops Development Adviser CAFRE who facilitated the delivery of the Challenge.