Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...

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Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural
                            Advisory Service 2015-2020

Head Office
Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow
Tel: +353 59 917 0200;
Fax: +353 59 918 2097
info@teagasc.ie
www.teagasc.ie
Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
A Strategy for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory

                                                                                                                                                                                                   Service 2015-2020
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Strategic Pathways for the
                                                                                      Service 2015-2020

Contents                                                       Executive Summary
Executive summary                                  1

Teagasc advisory service structure,                2
resources and activities

Strategic Pathway 1:                              13
Striking a balance between an appropriately
resourced public advisory service and a private                Ireland is fortunate to have a strong agriculture knowledge       The advisory service has achieved huge efficiency
service                                                        and innovation support system. Fundamental to this is             in recent years reducing staffing by 44% while
                                                               Teagasc, which combines an integrated research, advisory          maintaining client numbers and providing quality services
Strategic Pathway 2:                              16
                                                               and education service which is delivered to Ireland’s             to over 43,000 farm families. Teagasc has prioritised
Teagasc to focus on driving sustainable
on-farm profitability through productivity                     agri-food sector.                                                 education and Business and Technology services ahead of
                                                                                                                                 rural development and environmental schemes.
Strategic Pathway 3:                              23           The primary asset that Teagasc has is its people and the          Advisory regions have also leveraged their relationship with
Increase front-line advisor numbers to 240                     relationships that permeate the wider agriculture and food        farmers to innovate in the indirect provision of services
                                                               industry. Nowhere is this more evident than in the regional       through Joint Industry Programmes and outsourced
Strategic Pathway 4:                              27           advisory service. Teagasc advisors implement a                    services.
Intensify the overhaul of the Teagasc advisory                 comprehensive annual programme of activities and use
service delivery model                                         a wide range of tools to inform and influence farmers.            The major concern is that these efficiency gains will be
                                                               They have adopted best practice methods for improving             negated by the projected reduction (due to retirements)
Conclusions                                       30
                                                               farmers’ adoption of technology and farmers have become           in advisory staff from 240 to 180 by 2020, reducing the
                                                               more efficient and effective as a consequence.                    critical mass of advisors and spreading the core service
                                                                                                                                 thinly. This will damage the advisor farmer relationship and
                                                               The challenges and opportunities which face family                reduce the technology transfer capability. The plea in this
                                                               farming today require a strong and co-ordinated support           strategy is to see the huge impact that advisors have and
                                                               system which closes the gap between proven best practice          to recognise the opportunity to re-energise the advisory
                                                               and average performance across many key technologies              service by restoring advisory numbers to 240. This can
                                                               and practices that affect the viability, profitability and        be achieved with minimal extra cost but will deliver huge
                                                               sustainability of their businesses. The agreed industry           impact in terms of the productivity and sustainability of
                                                               targets in FH2020 and what is anticipated for successor           family farms.
                                                               AF2025 provide the development framework for all the
                                                               main sectors to advance their level of profitability and          There are four critical pathways central to this strategy, that
                                                               contribution to the economy through co-ordinated                  will determine the future success of the Teagasc Advisory
                                                               supports.                                                         Service.

                                                                                         The regional advisory strategies        ·   A balance between an appropriately resourced public
                                                                                         which form the basis for the                advisory service and a private consultancy service model.
                                                                                         Strategic Pathways set out in this
                                                                                         document were an opportunity            ·   Teagasc must fulfil its public-good mandate and focus
                                                                                         to take stock of the medium-term            on driving sustainable on-farm profitability
                                                                                         challenges and opportunities in             through productivity.
                                                                                         each region and to represent the
                                                                                         diversity and potential for each        · For Teagasc to be effective across a wide range of key
                                                                                         region to contribute specifically to        programmes responding to critical challenges an
                                                                                         FH2020. The strategies reported             increase front-line advisor numbers to the number
                                                                                         the local and regional issues               of frontline staff at the start of 2014. This is 240 the
                                                                                         affecting services and industry.            number deemed to be required to deliver a
                                                                                         All reflected the huge                      comprehensive support to Food Harvest 2020.
                                                       Dr. Tom Kelly                     opportunity and risks for dairy
                                                       Director of Knowledge             expansion post quotas, the              ·   To fully leverage the value of 240 frontline
                                                       Transfer                          possibilities of increased dairy beef       advisers it will be necessary to continue to intensify
                                                                                         and contract rearing on drystock            and overhaul the Teagasc advisory service delivery
                                                                farms, the potential to expand sheep production and pigs             model, through more outsourcing, strategic alliances,
                                                                and the reality of the need for efficient crop and forestry          partnerships and other multi actor approaches
                                                                production.                                                          in agreed national and regional programmes.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1
Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

                                      Teagasc advisory service structure, resources 				                                                                                                             THE
Service 2015-2020

                                      and activities                                                                                                                                               TEAGASC
                                                                                                                                                                                                  AUTHORITY

                                      The Teagasc ‘knowledge transfer’
                                      model                                                                                                                                                        DIRECTOR

                                      Teagasc is Ireland’s Agriculture and Food                             The service provides research-based advice
                                      Development Authority which supports                                  to its stakeholders in order to drive technology
                                      innovation on farms and in food companies                             implementation, optimise farm incomes and meet                                                                FORESIGHT AND

                                      through the provision of research, advisory and                       national output goals in a sustainable way.                                                                     STRATEGIC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          DEVELOPMENT,
                                      education services. The Teagasc advisory service is                   The Teagasc advisory service prioritises innovation                                                            AUDIT AND PR

                                      a key pillar in Teagasc’s Agricultural Knowledge                      support and partners with other providers on other
                                      and Innovation System (AKIS). Teagasc is unique                       activities where appropriate.
                                      relative to comparable organisations internationally                                                                                                            KNOWLEDGE
                                                                                                                                                                       RESEARCH                                                    OPERATIONS
                                      in having the three pillars of the AKIS within the                    Operating from 51 locations Teagasc currently             DIRECTORATE                      TRANSFER                    DIRECTORATE
                                                                                                                                                                                                     DIRECTORATE
                                      same organisation. The need for effective                             has a cadre of 231 advisors based in 12 regions.
                                      integration between research, extension and                           The primary purpose of the advisory service is to
                                      education is thus rendered more achievable within                     maximise the income and sustainability of farm
                                      the Teagasc structure.                                                families.
                                                                                                                                                                          FOOD                                EDUCATION              HUMAN
                                                                                                                                                                                               ADVISORY
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   RESOURCES,
                                      A critical feature of the Teagasc AKIS is the extent                  The PROAKIS project which recently analysed                 PROGRAMME             PROGRAMME       PROGRAMME
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    FINANCE,
                                      of responsiveness and interaction with its farmer                     the AKIS in a number of countries across Europe                                                                            ICT
                                      stakeholders. Teagasc has about 160 individual                        showed that Ireland has a strong AKIS. Teagasc is                                                                          AND
                                                                                                                                                                        ANIMAL AND                                                   OTHER
                                      stakeholders involved in an extensive network of                      central to this as it provides a co-ordinated           GRASSLAND RESEARCH                                             CORPORATE
                                      Stakeholder Consultation Groups which provide                         approach towards the provision of food and                 & INNOVATION
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   FUNCTIONS
                                                                                                                                                                       PROGRAMME
                                      on-going advice on the operation of the activities                    agriculture research, advisory and education
                                      of the three AKIS pillars.                                            programmes. The Teagasc advisory service is
                                                                                                            a valued, independent, science based support            CROPS ENVIRONMENT
                                                                                                                                                                       AND LAND USE
                                                                                                            service that can be accessed by all Irish farmers.         PROGRAMME
                                                                       Ext
                                                      t                      ern                            Key to the delivery of advisory services are the
                                                en                                 al
                                           nm                                           En                  research-advisory linkages which are provided
                                     iro                                                     v
                                                                                                            mainly through our specialist service and ensure
                                                                                                                                                                    RURAL ECONOMY AND
                                                                                             iro

                                                                                                                                                                       DEVELOPMENT
                                 v
                                En

                                                                                                            that advisors are up to date with the latest research
                                                                                                 nm

                                                                                                                                                                        PROGRAMME
                            al

                                                                                                            and findings are well informed on the emerging
                                                                                                     en
                    ern

                                                                                                            issues that affect farmers.
                                                                                                     t
               Ext

                                                                                                                                                                                      Teagasc Mission

                                                                                                                                                                                      To support science-based innovation
                                                                                                                                                                                      in the agri-food sector and wider
                                                                                                      Ext

                                                                                                                                                                                      bioeconomy so as to underpin
                                                                                                      e
                         t
                      en

                                                                                                 rna

                                                                                                                                                                                      profitability, competitiveness and
                                nm

                                                                                                 En  l
                                iro

                                                                                                            The Teagasc Agricultural Knowledge
                                                                                                                                                                                      sustainability.
                                                                                                 v

                                                                                           iro
                                                                                                            Innovation System (AKIS)
                                     v
                                         En       l
                                                                                      nm
                                                                                 en
                                              rna     e                      t
                                                          Ext

          2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      3
Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

Service 2015-2020

                                 Staff resources
                                                                                                                                                           Teagasc Advisory Regions
                                 The trend in frontline advisor numbers in Teagasc                                                                         Teagasc has rationalised its office network
                                 since 2000 along with the numbers of fee-paying                                                                           by reducing the number of offices from 91 to 51.
                                 farmer clients are shown below. In 2000                                                                                   The remaining offices are being
                                 Teagasc employed about 400 advisors. At the end                                                                           upgraded to ensure the are suitable
                                 of last year the number of frontline advisors was                                                                         for the delivery of modern advisory
                                 235. Peak advisory numbers occurred in 2007                                                                               and regional based education
                                 when 422 advisors were working in Teagasc.                                                                                services.
                                 Thus between 2007 and 2014 advisor numbers
                                 have fallen by about 44%.

                                 At the same time the chart also shows that the
                                 number of clients has increased from about 40,000
                                 in 2000 to over 43,000 at the end of last year.
                                 The productivity of advisors has thus increased
                                 substantially over the years and especially since
                                 2006. Individual advisors today service a much
                                 greater number of clients than just a decade ago.
                                 The number of clients per advisor has accelerated
                                 in particular since 2009.

                                 Productivity of individual advisors has been greatly
                                 assisted by the parallel growth in discussion groups
                                 over the same period. However, the rate of increase
                                 in client numbers per advisor is simply not
                                 sustainable from either the perspective of workload
                                 or service quality.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    OAK PARK
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Knockbeg
                                                                 Teagasc Advisor and Client numbers, 2000-2014
                                                                                                                                                                                                              Solohead

                                50,000                                                                                                               500

                                45,000                                                                                                               450

                                40,000                                                                                                               400

                                35,000                                                                                                               350

                                30,000                                                                                                               300

                                25,000                                                                                                               250

                                20,000                                                                                                               200

                                15,000                                                                                                               150

                                10,000                                                                                                               100

                                 5,000                                                                                                               50

                                    0                                                                                                                0
                                         2000   2001   2002   2003   2004   2005     2006    2007   2008   2009   2000   2011   2012   2013   2014

                                                                                   Clients             Advisors

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Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

Service 2015-2020

                                Teagasc Activities                                   In the current year about 3,500 applicants are
                                                                                     seeking to commence Teagasc courses over the
                                                                                     next year and a half. In any given year an additional
                                                                                     3,000 people attend Teagasc short courses with
                                Teagasc Regional Education                           many of these courses hosted by the advisory             Teagasc methods of service delivery
                                                                                     regions. Teagasc advisory regions have been
                                Teagasc advisory regions make a major                particularly effective in providing a national           Teagasc uses a wide variety of methods to bring
                                contribution to adult education and training and     network of short courses and workshops on vital          new technologies to clients including discussion
                                lifelong learning for local farming communities.     training areas such as farm safety.                      groups, individual visits and consultations, farm
                                The Education Officers and advisors in each                                                                   walks, demonstrations, workshops, farm
                                Teagasc advisory region advise and mentor            For the future a well-resourced Teagasc regional         management newsletters, the Internet and
                                individuals and farm families on education and       education structure will be vital to maintaining and     Teagasc generated publications such as the                          Teagasc will operate discussion groups as part of
                                career pathways. In a typical year Teagasc enrols    upgrading the skillsets for all categories of farmers.   magazine Today’s Farm. Teagasc also uses an                         the new Rural Development Programme (RDP)
                                in the region of 500 learners in ‘distance’/         This cannot happen if Teagasc regional education         extensive range of in-house developed software                      Knowledge Group initiative. Discussion Groups
                                on-line education and part-time education            resources are depleted.                                  tools that enable farms to benchmark performance                    have proved to be a very effective means of
                                Green Cert programmes. These courses are totally                                                              against their peers, including, the e-Profit Monitor.               transferring knowledge.
                                integrated into the Teagasc college education        Knowledge transfer                                       Recently Teagasc has embarked on using a grass
                                system which is targeted at school leavers.                                                                   growth database, known as PastureBase Ireland,
                                                                                     The Teagasc advisory team in collaboration with          developed by Teagasc to enable farmers to better
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Carbon Navigator
                                Teagasc Green Cert programmes provide an             enterprises specialists and research colleagues          utilise grass resources.                                            The Carbon Navigator has been developed
                                essential education route for the very many Irish    provide a comprehensive range of information-                                                                                to support the objective of reducing the carbon
                                farmers who have an off-farm job and can only        based advisory services through written                  Teagasc staff regularly contribute technical                        intensity of the dairy and beef sectors of Irish
                                participate in part-time agricultural education.     publications, web sites and media as well as public      articles or interviews to regional or national media.               agriculture. The system is designed as a knowledge
                                Equally such courses provide a necessary             events which are accessible by all 120,000 Irish         In addition, Teagasc regions offer a large number                   transfer (KT) tool aimed at supporting the
                                agricultural education opportunity for those farm    farmers. Advisors also provide direct knowledge-         of events or demonstrations which are open to all,                  realisation at farm level of the mitigation potential.
                                family members with careers outside of farming       transfer services to 43,000 fee-paying clients on a      whether clients or not.                                             The Carbon Navigator tool is used to measure
                                who subsequently inherit family farms.               range of technical matters relating to the                                                                                   and improve carbon efficiency on Irish dairy farms
                                                                                     enhancement of on-farm productivity as well as           Teagasc facilitates a large number of discussion                    across five win-win efficiency measures:
                                The recent introduction of additional support        economic advice on resource-use efficiency.              groups (800+) some are part of theTeagasc
                                 measures for young farmers in the Rural                                                                      BETTER farms programmes, and some are part of                       - Length of the Grazing Season
                                Development Plan (RDP) of the CAP will               Advisory clients are provided with “packages”            collaboration programmes with co-operatives or                      - Improved Genetics and Breeding (increased EBI)
                                encourage greater and earlier mobility in farm       of services best suited to their individual              private sector companies.                                           - Improved Nitrogen Efficiency
                                ownership. This is a very positive development for   circumstances for which they pay an individual fee.                                                                          - Improved Manure Management
                                the agricultural sector and, not surprisingly, has   Clients who wish to avail of significant                                                                                     - Energy Efficiency
                                created an extraordinary surge in demand for         “one-to-one” services tend to pay more than those
                                Teagasc Green Cert courses. Last year about 2,000    who avail only of “education” or “group based”
                                                                                     capacity building services.                                         Technical Performance Indicators Teagasc Dairy Discussion Groups members/non members.
                                students above ‘normal’ enrolment levels applied
                                for Teagasc on-line and part-time courses.                                                                                                                                Established        New             Non-              All Farms
                                                                                                                                                                                                          Members            Members         Members

                                                                                                                                               Production (litres per cow)                                5,333              5,229           5,060             5,170

                                                                                                                                               Milk sales (litres per hectare)                            9,964              9,695           8,584             9,181

                                                                                                                                               Milk solids (kg per cow)                                   380                372             355               366

                                                                                                                                               Somatic Cell Count (‘ooo cells/ml)                         217                204             297               252

                                                                                                                                               Concentrate feed usage (kg per cow)                        773                941             913               875

                                                                                                                                               Calving (% of calved from Jan to Mar)                      69                 67              60                64

                                                                                                                                               Artificial Insemination (%using AI)                        90                 91              81                85
                                                                                                                                               Established = joined before 2010; new = joined 2010/2011
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Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

                                                                                           In recent months, Teagasc has embarked on an
                                                                                           innovative arrangement with Farm Relief Services
Service 2015-2020

                                                                                           (FRS) to deliver a planning services for its clients
                                                                                           that wished to participate in GLAS and associated
                                                                                           services.

                                Due to diminishing resources Teagasc no longer             This has involved FRS providing 80 advisors and
                                has the capacity to deliver a comprehensive                support staff through Teagasc offices around the
                                one-to-one advisory service. While discussion              country to deliver GLAS planning services to 6,900
                                groups in many instances provide an effective              Teagasc clients from March to May 2015. Further
                                alternative, it is recognised that there is still a need   services will be provided over the coming months
                                to provide technical and economic advice in a form         and years through this arrangement.
                                that meets the needs of individual farmers. To that
                                end Teagasc plan in the near future to launch a
                                                                                           The Teagasc service is highly
                                Dairy Expansion Service that will address the needs
                                                                                           valued by clients
                                of those dairy farmers who are planning expansion
                                and who need the support of Teagasc’s technical            It has been challenging for Teagasc to maintain
                                and economic expertise.                                    the standard of service delivery since 2008
                                                                                           during a period of increased service demand,
                                Teagasc also plan to offer knowledge transfer              decreasing staff numbers and restrictions on                            The same group of respondents indicated that                            Independence: Teagasc is independent of
                                services to rural professionals such as private            recruitment or replacement of staff. Yet clients                        their main concerns were in areas such as staffing                      commercial pressures or bias. Teagasc advice is
                                agricultural consultants, agri-business, financial         continue to reveal a very high level of                                 levels and the replacement of staff in the case of                      based on rigorous scientific research that is fact
                                institutions, veterinary practitioners, etc. with a        satisfaction with the advisory service (see                             retirements to maintain that level of service into                      based and underpinned by rigorous experimental
                                new Outreach Programme (Teagasc Connected)                 chart opposite below). The responses indicated                          the future.                                                             procedures.
                                scheduled to commence in the very near future.             a high level of satisfaction with factors such as:
                                                                                           promptness and efficiency and the levels of                             This high level of client satisfaction is hugely                        Links to research and education:
                                In recent years Teagasc has worked closely with            courtesy shown to them by Teagasc staff.                                encouraging and points to the perceived value of                        Teagasc advisors are part of an organisation which
                                the private sector in the achievement of its goals.                                                                                the service that is provided to a large number of                       conducts an extensive research programme
                                The most important of these initiatives are the            The level of formal written complaints remains                          farmers.                                                                tailored to support Ireland’s agriculture and food
                                “joint programmes” that are operated at present            very low despite the challenging staffing situation.                                                                                            industry.
                                with most of the dairy co-operatives and other             When asked about the positive aspects of the
                                agri-business entities.                                    service they receive, respondents frequently                                                                                                    In addition, Teagasc offers education to primarily
                                                                                           referred to the expertise of staff in providing high                                                                                            young people in agricultural and horticultural
                                                                                                                                                                                  Overall Satisfaction with the Service
                                                                                           quality advice and the willingness of staff to                                                                                                  colleges and also distance learning or local learning
                                                                                           put in extra effort in service delivery.                       100%                                                                             e.g for the Green Cert outside the colleges.

                                                                                           JOINT PROGRAMMES                                               80%           21%              24%                24%              18%           The three pillars of knowledge transfer, research
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           and education within one organisation create
                                                                                           Teagasc Kerry Agribusiness Joint Programme ‘Focus on Profit’                                                                                    synergies which benefit advisors and farmers.
                                                                                                                                                          60%
                                  Teagasc is centrally involved in a large number                                                                                                                                                          This enables advisors to be champions and
                                                                                           Teagasc Dairygold Joint Programme
                                  of partnership or joint programmes with most                                                                                          74%              72%                72%              79%           interpreters of new technologies generated from
                                                                                           Teagasc GII Joint Programme
                                  of Ireland’s dairy cooperatives and others.                                                                             40%
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           research which can be applied on farm.
                                  These partnerships are an important component            Teagasc Lakeland Dairies Joint Programme

                                  of Teagasc service delivery to clients but also          Teagasc Aurivo Joint Programme                                 20%
                                  non-clients. For example during the Fodder               Teagasc Carbery Joint Programme
                                  Crisis of 2012/13 theInteragency Fodder                  Teagasc Tipperary Co-op Joint Programme                         0%

                                  Committee that was convened by Teagasc,                  Teagasc / Irish Farmers Journal BETTER Beef Programme                         2007            2008               2009             2014

                                                                                           (Partners: Teagasc, FBD Trust, Irish Farmers Journal, Kepak,     Very Dissatisfied        Dissatisfied          Satisfied      Very Satisfied
                                  achieved greater impact by working with a range
                                  of partner organisations.                                ABP Meats, Dawn Meats                                                     N= 1827. Source: Postal Comment Card Survey
                                                                                           Teagasc Green Acres Calf to Beef Programme
                                                                                           (Partners: Teagasc, Liffey Mills, Drummonds, Volac Ireland,
                                                                                           MSD Animal Health, Grassland Agro, Farming Independent)
                                                                                           Teagasc Kepak Supervalu Sustainable Farm Programme

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Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

Service 2015-2020

                                Regional staff are supported by a national system      Public good remit: public goods are the services
                                for staff training and development. This includes      provided by Teagasc, made available to farmers
                                technical, advisory skills, leadership, and            through open access platforms where participants
                                management development programmes which                can benefit from the information and knowledge;
                                ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to     e.g. farm occupational health and safety,
                                support innovation effectively. Teagasc is about to    environmental advice: embracing carbon
                                adopt a European skills training programme             mitigation, water quality, biodiversity and animal
                                (certifiable) for rural advisers.                      welfare, crises management, general public
                                                                                       awareness. Teagasc held over 500 public events in
                                National network: Farmers have access to               2014, open to clients and non-clients.
                                technical advice wherever their business is located.
                                In many situations Teagasc is providing                Crisis management – the fodder crisis of 2013
                                technical advice where it would not even be            was managed by Teagasc and Teagasc led an
                                considered by the private sector.                      Interagency Fodder Committee (pictured opposite
                                                                                       below) to combat the significant risk of low fodder
                                Because Teagasc has a national network it is able to   stocks in that year. Other major crises such as the
                                mobilise farmers and other stakeholders in times       outbreaks of Foot and Mouth disease and BSE
                                of crisis, such as, major disease outbreaks (Foot      were also managed with considerable support from
                                and Mouth in 2001) or fodder shortages (2012/13).      Teagasc.

                                The Teagasc office is the location for a range of      Teagasc takes responsibility for the provision
                                services and sources of information. As well as        of general awareness when new legislation and
                                technical advice, client farmers can receive           schemes such as the Beef Data Genomics
                                support in applying for EU or national financial       Programme, GLAS and TAMS are introduced.
                                support schemes, educational and training
                                opportunities, health and safety, rural development
                                etc. In 2015 over 43,000 farmers completed their
                                Basic Payment Scheme applications with Teagasc
                                support, the majority submitted on-line. Teagasc is
                                a national organisation and manages its resources
                                to provide a quality, consistent service.

                                Stability and trust: Advisors develop high levels of
                                trust with farm families and will often be consulted
                                on the full range of challenges faced by family
                                farming businesses. As well as seeking technical or
                                production advice, farm families will often consult
                                Teagasc advisors on business management and
                                financial matters but will also often seek advice on
                                decisions involving retirement, succession,
                                inheritance etc.

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Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

                                Strategic Pathway 1:
Service 2015-2020

                                Striking a balance between an appropriately resourced public
                                advisory service and a private service

                                As a state agency with its own Board of Directors     The need for public and private funds and
                                (the Teagasc Authority) Teagasc is not driven         multi-actor partnerships in this aspect of
                                exclusively by the need to generate profits.          innovation support is clearly outlined in the
                                It is tasked with delivering a range of services.     EU commission publication from the SCAR AKIS
                                The nature and price of these services is             group 2014. This is driven by rising food prices, the
                                determined by key stakeholders such as the            growing awareness of the challenges of food
                                Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine         security and recognition of the need for greater
                                and the Teagasc Authority working with                impact from investment in agricultural research.
                                the Director of Teagasc and senior management.
                                                                                      There is recognition that the State should maintain
                                There is a diversity of advisory service models       a role in providing advice to farmers (FAO 2014).
                                in operation throughout the European Union.           Examples of where private advisory services will
                                The Irish advisory service has been classed as a      fall short in providing services include such ‘public
                                mixed public-private model (PRO AKIS, 2014).          good’ areas as driving improvements in national
                                                                                      agricultural growth, productivity and
                                Teagasc provides a service that is partially          competitiveness; supporting the development of
                                publically funded with the balance of funding         sustainable agricultural systems and adaptation
                                (about 45%) generated mainly through charges          to climate change; promoting health and safety
                                for services. Private consultants provide a service   on farms; tackling poverty reduction; delivering
                                that is wholly funded through fees. In the last few   services to smaller family-operated farms who
                                years the total numbers of privately employed         would be unlikely to be reached by a private
                                agricultural consultants and Teagasc advisors have    service; mobilising the agricultural sector to
                                converged (Kelly et al, 2013).                        respond to public initiatives of various kinds,
                                                                                      including participation in important public
                                The prevailing view within the EU is that             programmes and schemes; mobilisation of the
                                agricultural advisory services typically embrace      sector to combat disease and other emergencies
                                both ‘public good’ and ‘private good’ dimensions.     that impact on the sector from to time to time
                                Over the past three decades many governments          (e.g. Fodder Crisis 2013, Foot & Mouth disease in
                                gradually reduced their funding for such services.    2001, etc.)
                                However, attempts are now being made to redress
                                the situation through increased emphasis on the       There is, therefore, a clear role for an advisory
                                transfer of knowledge in national and EU funded       service that is at least partially publically funded.
                                programmes.                                           Based on the prevailing advisory models in
                                                                                      operation internationally and on the intrinsic
                                                                                      nature of ‘public good’ services that are required,
                                                                                      it is simply not tenable to accept that a privately
                                                                                      operated and delivered service will meet society’s
                                                                                      needs.

         12                                                                                                                                   13
Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

Service 2015-2020

                                However, it is equally clear that State run services     Teagasc does, however, also provide ‘contestable’    The state-funded service focusses on ‘knowledge
                                can no longer be expected to be the sole provider        services or services that could be provided by the   transfer’ activities and the private sector focusses
                                in meeting farmers’ increasingly complex                 private sector, assuming it had sufficient           on high-level consultancy that is provided either
                                innovation needs. The challenge lies in defining the     capacity to do so. In the main such services         privately, or, in partnership with the State service.
                                precise role of public-sector providers within the       involve public scheme support to farmers             Where these services overlap, as in the provision
                                framework of a plural system of advisory services        (e.g. SFP, GLAS, TAMS etc.). Teagasc sees its        of supports for EU and Government schemes,
                                that features several different actors.                  involvement in such schemes as often being the       there is an acceptance that this work must be
                                                                                         entry point for other core ‘knowledge transfer’      charged to users at full cost, regardless of whether
                                Teagasc advisory services supply a mix of ‘public’       work and enables Teagasc to build a relationship     the provider is in the public or private sector.
                                and ‘private’ services. It is the type of service that   between client and advisor. Where new issues
                                can best meet the innovation support needs of the        arise in these schemes (e.g.,‘Greening’) they        Benefits and costs of public advisory
                                more commercial farmers of the future while              require a professional input from many of our        services
                                building the capacity of all family farms through        advisors particularly in the tillage and mixed
                                targeted national education and advisory                 farming areas. The implications of failing to        Teagasc believes that the need for a State-funded
                                programme activities.                                    comply with new conditions could have very           advisory service to deliver ‘public goods’ is
                                                                                         serious income consequences for individual           incontrovertible. Accepting this view still requires
                                The private sector is not equipped, or in many           farmers as well as negative consequences for         that public investment achieves a high social return
                                cases not interested in providing a ‘knowledge           the State.                                           at minimum cost to the taxpayer.
                                transfer’ service, except on a narrow consultancy
                                basis. Apart from technical consultancy services,        The present advisory service structure in Ireland    Numerous studies have shown that investments
                                the private sector tends to focus on areas such as       is a partially-funded state service that works in    in extension – just like investments in agricultural
                                taxation, legal and property services and public-        parallel with a private consultancy service and is   research and development – have delivered                This strategy was designed to ensure that users
                                scheme administration of behalf of farmers.              ideally suited to service the diverse needs of all   high rates of return. In a review of extension           contributed financially towards the service and that
                                                                                         farmers.                                             programmes, Evenson (2001) found that although           a broad client and support base was maintained
                                                                                                                                              rates of return to extension varied widely, they         and that the time of advisors was fairly apportioned
                                                                                                                                              exceeded 20 percent in three-quarters of the             to a diverse population of family farms.
                                                                                                                                              81 extension programmes that were examined.
                                                                                                                                              In a survey of quantitative studies of rates of          This ‘public good’ approach has served Irish
                                                                                                                                              return to research, development and extension,           agriculture well and has resulted in a credible,
                                                                                                                                              Alston et al (2000) also found very high, but            trusted and well supported service which is strongly
                                                                                                                                              variable, returns to agricultural extension.             positioned to lead agriculture and respond to the
                                                                                                                                              These rates of return are substantially higher that      needs of farmers and the state.
                                                                                                                                              the rates typically required to justify public
                                                                                                                                              investment.                                                                Knowledge Transfer
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Advisory Income & Expenditure

                                                                                                                                              As to the public cost of the service, it should be      35,000
                                                                                                                                              remembered that since 1988 when advisory charges        30,000
                                                                                                                                              were introduced to Teagasc they have consistently       25,000
                                                                                                                                              generated significant income for the organisation.      20,000
                                                                                                                                              Today the level of cost recovery is of the order of     15,000
                                                                                                                                              45%. The strategy in introducing fees was to reach      10,000
                                                                                                                                              the maximum number of farmers and farm families          5,000
                                                                                                                                              with an acceptable fee structure.
                                                                                                                                                                                                          0
                                                                                                                                                                                                               €’000    €’000    €’000      €’000       €’000
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Actual   Actual   Actual     Actual      Actual
                                                                                                                                                                                                                2011     2012     2013       2014        2015

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Knowledge Transfer Advisory Expenditure

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Knowledge Transfer Advisory Income

         14                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           15
Strategic Pathways for the Teagasc Agricultural Advisory Service 2015-2020 - Head Office Teagasc, Oak Park, Carlow Tel: +353 59 917 0200; Fax: ...
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

                                Strategic Pathway 2
Service 2015-2020

                                Teagasc to focus on driving sustainable on-farm profitability
                                through productivity

                                The agriculture and food industry faces great            The abolition of EU dairy quotas on April 1st of this
                                opportunities and challenges in the years ahead.         year provides Ireland with the potential to exploit
                                The planet requires adequate provision of “Food,         our comparative advantage in milk
                                Fibre, Feed and Fuel”, while the environmental           production. The recent Programme for
                                pressures on the planet’s resources were never           Government (“Government for Renewal
                                higher. While the achievement of food security is        2011-2016”) and “Food Harvest 2020.” recognize
                                the predominant global challenge, it is profoundly       the potential that Ireland has for expanding its
                                affected by global challenges arising due to climate     level of agricultural output, food production and
                                change and resource scarcity (e.g., water, energy,       exports. Ambitious expansion targets have been
                                key plant nutrients and biodiversity). Teagasc is        set and accepted by sector stakeholders. But the
                                wholly committed therefore to the principle of           potential for an additional €5 billion contribution
                                sustainable intensification to ensure that growth        to the national economy will not be realized unless
                                of Ireland’s agri-food sector is built on a foundation   there is a strong commitment from all stakehold-
                                that does not deplete the planet’s scarce resources.     ers, especially Government, for those farmers that
                                                                                         want to expand their enterprises in a profitable and
                                While “Food Security” is a major challenge at a          sustainable manner.
                                global level, it presents a strong food-exporting
                                nation like Ireland with great opportunity. Several      It is clear that any industry faced with such a
                                recent studies have demonstrated that grass-fed          challenge will require access to the best quality
                                animal agriculture leaves the lowest carbon              technical and financial advice. In this regard, the
                                footprint. This fact together with growing grain         economic case for a fully integrated research,
                                prices, gives Ireland both a marketing and a             advisory and education service which Teagasc
                                competitive edge due the predominance of our             provides is strong.
                                pasture-based agricultural systems.
                                                                                         Without an advisory and farmer education
                                                                                         service that is “fit for purpose,” it will simply not be
                                                                                         possible to leverage the store of knowledge capital
                                                                                         that has been created as a result of our national          National farm enterprise
                                                                                         investment in agriculture and food research.               productivity targets
                                                                                         The Teagasc advisory service operates in 12
                                                                                         advisory regions. The technical challenges to drive        The advisory function within Teagasc is focused on   Teagasc has prioritised its role in driving
                                                                                         sustainable improvements in farm productivity              enhancing the income level of families.              sustainable improvements in farm profitability
                                                                                         are broadly the same in terms of individual                On-farm income is driven by a combination of         through productivity. We believe in the context of
                                                                                         enterprises, irrespective of region.                       developments in product and input prices, direct     FH2020 and its successor AF2025 that our main
                                                                                                                                                    payments and productivity. In an exporting           sectors have significant opportunities to advance
                                                                                         However, because of a region’s endowment of                nation farmers are price takers and hence the core   their level of profitability. Over the period of the
                                                                                         resources in terms of land quality, the                    function of Teagasc is to drive sustainable          Strategy Teagasc will work to achieve demanding
                                                                                         predominant scale of farming and the level of              improvements in on-farm productivity. Teagasc        but achievable productivity targets across Ireland’s
                                                                                         agricultural development in a region, the mix of           also supports farm families to ensure that they      main farm enterprises
                                                                                         enterprises and achievable development targets             maximise their entitlement to direct payments,
                                                                                         will vary.                                                 such as, the Basic Payment Scheme and GLAS, etc.
                                                                                                                                                    Some of these direct payment schemes under
                                                                                                                                                    the Rural Development Pillar of the CAP also
                                                                                                                                                    positively impact on farm productivity such as
                                                                                                                                                    Knowledge Groups, TAMS and the Beef Data
                                                                                                                                                    Genomics Programme.

         16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     17
Production Road Map Agriculture Sector (2025 Targets)

         Dairy Targets                        Beef Targets                        Sheep Targets                       Forestry Targets                     Tillage Crops Targets                Horticulture Targets              Potato Targets                            Pigs Targets

     .   Herbage utilisation: target      . Herbage utilisation: target       .   Ewe fertility: target to        .   Planting rates: target to        .   Rotations: target to have        .   Mushroom yield: target        .   Potatoes: target to maintain          .   Fertility: target to increase
         to increase utilisation/ha           to increase the current level       increase the number of              increase to 15,000                   90% of growers using                 to increase yield from 318        the area at 9,000 ha; target              the number of pigs
         from the current level of 7.3        from 4.7 to 7.0 tonnes of           lambs weaned per ewe in             ha/annum.                            rotation by providing a wider        to 390 kg/t compost; target       to increased salad potato                 produced per sow per year
         tonnes/ha to 10.9 tonnes/ha.         DM/ha.                              lowland sheep production                                                 range of rotation options,           to increase the proportion        production by 5,000t; target              from 23 currently to 25.
                                                                                  from 1.25 to 1.45.              .   Roundwood production:                e.g. oats for the feed/food          of growers using renewable        to increase seed production
     .   Average EBI: target to 		        . Genetic improvement: target                                               target to double to 6.4              market, pulse crops for              energy from 5% to 40.             by 7,000t; target to increase         .   Feed conversion efficiency:
         increase the level of dairy 		       to increase the annual          .   Carcass output: target to           million m3 per annum.                animal feed and oilseed rape                                           peeling production by 		                  target to increase the level
         females born to €210.                number of calves reared             increase carcass output/                                                 for food oil products, and       .   Strawberry tray production:       30,000t.                                  from weaning to sale from
                                              per cow from 0.87 to 0.92.          ha in lowland sheep
                                                                                                                  .   Timber production (private
                                                                                                                                                           thus increase the average            target to increase the                                                      2.46 to 2.35 kg feed/kg live
     .                                                                                                                forests): target to increase
         6-week calving rate: target                                              production from 170 kg                                                   yield of wheat by 1% per year.       adoption of the system        .   Ensure the exploitation of                weight gain.
                                                                                                                      production from 200,000 to
         to increase the rate from its    .   Spring calving rate: target         to 276 kg.                                                                                                    from 40% to 80%.                  the above by the industry
                                                                                                                      1,000,000 m3/annum.
          current level of 55% to 80%.        to increase the proportion                                                                               .   Increase barley yields by                                              by exploiting novel                   .   Feed conversion efficiency
                                              of suckler cows calving in      .   Genetic improvement:            .   Target to increase average
                                                                                                                                                            1% per year by the increased    .   Protected blueberry               ‘Knowledge Transfer’                       (production level): target
     .   Somatic Cell Count: target           eight weeks from 33% to             target to increase the              margin from €454 to €496
                                                                                                                                                            uptake of winter barley for         production: potential to          models, such as: Extension                to produce two tonnes of pig
         to reduce the average level          60%.                                proportion of Sheep Ireland                                               feed markets.                       increase value by 500%            of RDP ‘Knowledge Groups’                 meat from seven tonnes
                                                                                                                      per ha on an annualised
         in dairy herds to 200,000.                                               genetically evaluated rams                                                                                    ( €1 to €6 million).              to tillage farms; web-base                of feed.
                                                                                                                      gross margin basis.
                                          . Live weight/ha (dairy beef):          in the national flock to 40%.                                        .   Increase the value of tillage                                          resources; more effective
     .   Health status: target to             target to increase production                                       .   Improve genetics of                  products by an average of        .   Protected strawberry              use of industry advisors;
         enhance the health status            from 600 to 800 kg/ha.          .   Hill sheep farming: enhance         broadleaf and conifers.              5% through the exploitation          production: potential to 		       ICT-aided decision support;
         of dairy herds through                                                   hill farming systems by                                                  of high value niche markets.         increase value by 35%             all of which will include
         improved biosecurity             . Live weight/ha (suckler 		            promoting greater               .   Develop new disease                                                       ( €37 to €50 million).            principles of financial
         standards and disease                beef): target to increase           integration with lowlands           resistant tree varieties.        .   Develop improved                                                       management and planning.
         control programmes.                  production from 457 to 598          sheep producers.                                                         prediction systems which         .   Cut foliage: potential to
                                              kg/ha.                                                              .   Seed orchards: establish             determine the impact of              increase jobs to 500 and      .   Collaboration with dairy
     .   Labour efficiency: target                                            .   Develop profitable                  to provide indigenous                key pests/pathogens of crops         export sales to €500              farmers: exploit
         to increase labour efficiency    . Health status: target to              management and feeding              supply of adapted and 		             and improved Integrated              million by 2025 through           opportunities arising in
         on dairy farms from the              enhance the health status           systems to exploit market           improved broadleaf                   Pest Management (IPM)                the establishment of a            provision of forage;
         current level of 50 cows             of beef herds by applying           outlets for light lambs             planting stock.Improve crop          strategies; and thus reduce          centre of excellence.             utilisation of slurry.
         /labour unit to 80 cows.             best biosecurity standards          coming from hill/mountain           productivity: match species          the cost of crop protection
                                              and through the execution           sheep farms                         to site characteristics,              by 5% (using 2015 prices).      .   Integrated Crop                                  Sustainability & Soil Fertility
     .   Greenhouse gas emissions:            of national disease control                                             especially on marginal lands.                                             Management (ICM):
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   There are growing concerns in relation to soil fertility, identified
          target to reduce the current        programmes.                     .   Stocking rate: target to                                             • Precision tillage (and                  ‘Knowledge Transfer’
         level from 15.0 kg of CO2                                                increase the average            .   Investigate and adapt new 		       horticulture): develop                 systems will need to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      by Teagasc research. Of the 36,000 soil samples processed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     through Teagasc in 2014, 90% were sub-optimal in terms of
         e/kg Milk Solids to 12.2.        . Beef production costs:                stocking rate on lowland            systems of forest creation 		      approaches based on                    prioritise ICM for all
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     soil pH, P and K. It is calculated that the loss of productivity
                                            target to reduce the cost             farms from 7.5 to 9.5 ewes/		       for Irish conditions (e.g. low     understanding variation in             horticultural crops.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      as a consequence on an average Irish dairy farm can be as
     .   N efficiency: target to            per kg live weight in suckler         ha.                                 impact silviculture); research     crop nitrogen requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   high as €30,000. Sub-optimal fertility of soil presents a severe
         increase the current level         herd systems from the                                                     potential of agroforestry.         to improve targeting of            .   Integrated Pest Management
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    challenge to the efficient production of grass and other crops,
         from 25.9% to 29.1%.               current level of €1.99            .   Landscape maintenance:                                                 Inputs, to reduce fertiliser 		        (IPM): target that 100% of
                                            to €1.60.                             enhance the level of
                                                                                                                  .   Broadleaf crops: target
                                                                                                                                                         inputs by 5%.                          growers will adopt the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   requiring additional feed, increasing costs. The environmental
                                                                                                                      to increase value by 50% 		                                                                                        footprint is also increased. Accordingly, to achieve the
     .   Milk production costs            . Greenhouse gas emissions:             support to hill-sheep farmers                                                                                 system as prescribed by
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        objectives of the Agri-Strategy 2025, it is vital that the
                                                                                                                      through management
         (constant 2015 prices):            target to reduce the current           to maintain hill and                                                .   Plant breeding:                       the Sustainable Use
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   management of soil fertility is prioritised. A major drive is now
         target to achieve €2.94/                                                                                     interventions to enhance
                                            level from 23.1 kg of CO2             mountain landscapes.                                                     biotechnology will be                Directive
                                                                                                                      end-use value along with 		                                                                                    needed to improve soil pH, optimise the use of slurry and to
         kg MS (including full labour       e/kg carcass to 20.9.                                                                                          used for the development
                                                                                                                      market development.                                                                                               apply the most appropriate fertilisers in the right place
         costs).                                                              .   Grassland management:                                                    of marker- and genomics-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             at the right time.
                                                                                  continue to develop                                                      assisted breeding to develop
                                                                                                                  .   Improve the carbon capture
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Land improvement needs to go hand-in-hand with improving
                                                                                  profitable grass/clover-based                                            varieties of potato, and other
                                                                                                                      potential of new and existing
                                                                                  sheep production systems.                                                crops better suited to Irish                                               soil fertility. Enhancing the productivity of land through
                                                                                                                      Irish forests.
                                                                                                                                                           tillage systems.                                                         prudent and environmentally sensitive drainage along with
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   careful management of livestock and machinery to protect the
                                                                                                                  .   Increase the recovery of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       soil’s potential are key to achieving our growth targets.
                                                                                                                      sawnwood from conifer and
                                                                                                                      hardwood harvests.

18                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          19
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

                                  Teagasc Agriculture in the Advisory Regions                                                              Laois/ Kildare/Meath/Louth/
                                                                                                                                           Dublin Advisory Region
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Sligo/Leitrim /Donegal
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Advisory Region
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Cork East
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Advisory Region
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Cork West
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Advisory Region
Service 2015-2020

                                  The targets in individual regions reflect the enterprise mix and farming intensity of that region.               No. of Ave. farm                            Ave. Std.		                            No. of                                 Ave. farm              Ave. Std.		                                       No. of                      Ave. farm Ave. Std.		                                                 No. of                               Ave. farm Ave. Std.
                                                                                                                                                   Farms size. (Ha.)                           Output (€)                             Farms                                  size. (Ha.)            Output (€)                                        Farms                       size. (Ha.) Output (€)                                                Farms                                size. (Ha.) Output (€)
                                  In dairying while all regions set challenging targets in term of efficiency of production and adoption   			                                                                                		                                             (Ha.)                                                           		                                   (Ha.)                                                         		                                           (Ha.)
                                  of new technologies the expansion target 2015 to 2020 is 60% in Kilkenny/Waterford 50% in                Laois 3,312    37.0                                 35,805                         Sligo   4,395                                  26.3                   11,995                                   Cork E. 7,111                        38.1        50,977                                            Cork W. 7,111                                38.1        50,977
                                  Tipperary, Cork East and Kerry/Limerick with a much lower expansion target of 20% in                     Kildare 2,578  44.1                                 40,740                         Leitrim 3,673                                  25.1                   10,480                                   All Cork 14,222
                                  Roscommon/Longford. This contrasts with sheep production where a 20% expansion in ewe                    Meath 4,569    42.0                                 46,491                         Donegal 9,240                                  27.9                   13,655
                                  numbers is anticipated in Roscommon/Longford while in Kerry Limerick it is expected that despite         Louth 1,676    36.4                                 44,837
                                  a strong advisory programme ewe numbers will remain static with some drystock farmers opting for
                                                                                                                                           Dublin 798                 47.6                     100,836
                                  calf to beef or contract rearing dairy heifers. In crops the need for improvement in efficiency and
                                  scale is evident and most regions are trying to maintain current areas under production and reduce
                                                                                                                                                     1,117
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      144                                                                                                                                                                                                              120    80 232
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        88                                                                                                                769
                                                                                                                                                                                3,153
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              364              1,282                                Specialist Tillage
                                  the cost of inputs.                                                                                       6,355
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        152
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Specialist Dairy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               2,780
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       1,080
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Cattle Production
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Dairying                                                       1,931
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 2,306                                   606
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Dairying
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Specialist Beef
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Beef       8,943
                                  The environmental programme targets will be driven by the Rural Development Programme 2015
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 107                    Dairy                                                                                                      Mixed Farming
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Specialist Sheep
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Sheep
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Cattle                                                                                                     Sheep
                                  -2020 and these cut across all regions. All regions have set ambitious targets to expand                                                                                       Tillage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Mixed Grazing                                                                                    661
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Tillage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Mixed Crop & Livestock                                                                                                                                                                                                         Tillage Crops
                                  discussion groups and participation in the new Knowledge Groups that will be established under                                                           1,525
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Mixed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Sheep                                                                                                      Other Farming
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Mixed Field Crop
                                  the RDP will greatly assist in the achievement of these targets. The participation of farmers in GLAS                                                                  Total - 12,933
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Other
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Mixed Grazing                                                                                    Total     6,192

                                  and the Beef Data Genomics Programme is a major target area. The specialisation of Business and                                               783
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              4,404
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Total      17,308
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Mixed & Other Crops
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             1,900

                                  Technology advisers is a huge advantage in targeted advisory programme delivery and with the help
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Total    7,348
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         2,899

                                  of partners and sub-contractors these programmes can be delivered with the optimum use of the
                                  Teagasc staff resource.
                                                                                                                                           Tipperary North/Tipperary South                                                   Galway/Clare                                                                                                   Kerry/Limerick                                                                                      Westmeath/ Offaly/Cavan/
                                                                                                                                           Advisory Region                                                                   Advisory Region                                                                                                Advisory Region                                                                                     Monaghan Advisory Region
                                  National Census of Agriculture 2010.
                                  			                                                                                                                No. of Ave. farm                              Ave. Std.		                      No. of                                   Ave. farm                    Ave. Std.		                                No. of                           Ave. farm                    Ave. Std.		                         No. of                                Ave. farm                       Ave. Std.
                                  No. of  Ave. farm                                                  Ave. Std.				                                   Farms size. (Ha.)                             Output (€)                       Farms                                    size. (Ha.)                  Output (€)                                 Farms                            size. (Ha.)                  Output (€)                          Farms                                 size. (Ha.)                     Output (€)
                                  Farms   size. (Ha.)                                                Output (€)                            			                                                                               		                                              (Ha.)                                                          		                                        (Ha.)                                                   		                                             (Ha.)

                                  139,860 32.7                                                       30,726                                Tipp. (N) 3,805  39.6                                   41,104                    Galway 13,445                                   25.8                         13,852                            Kerry    8,412                            34.0                         27,429                     W. Meath 3,459                                 37.1                            30,519
                                                                                                                                           Tipp. (S) 3,934  41.3                                   51,220                    Clare  6,550                                    26.4                         17,931                            Limerick 5,991                            34.5                         39,703                     Offaly   3,462                                 36.5                            34,827
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Cavan    5,282                                 26.4                            34,528
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Monaghan 4,565                                 23.3                            45,534

                                                                                                                                                     1,117   70 300                                                                                    82 56                                                                                                   77
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             944               1,202
                                                                                                                                                                      200                                                                                              113                                                                                                    1,303
                                                  Sligo                                                                                                                         3,153
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         1,697
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       225 375
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   979
                                                                                                                                           1,728                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           198
                                                  Leitrim                                                                                   6,355
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2,554
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1,218
                                                  Donegal                                                                                                                                              Dairying Dairying
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Specialist Tillage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         7,423                                           1,462
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Specialised Beef
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Tillage
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Specialist Dairying                                                                                                                                                                                                   Dairying
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Cattle Production
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Beef                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       566
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Specialised Dairy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1,288              Specialist Beef                                                                                                                                                                                                       Beef Production
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Sheep
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Sheep Production
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Specialist Sheep                                                                                          Specialised Sheep                                                                                           Sheep
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Tillage
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Tillage Growers                                                                                       Mixed Grazing Livestock                                                                                                                                                                                               Mixed Grazing Livestock
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Mixed
                                                                                                                                                                                           1,525       Other     Mixed                                                                                       Mixed Crops & Livestock                                                                                                                                                                                               Mixed Crops & Livestock
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Specialised Tillage
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Total - 12,933                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Mixed Field Crops
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Mixed Field Crops                                                           2,965
                                                                                                                                                                                        Total:     7,328
                                Mayo                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Total       13,230                                                                                                      Other
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 13,756                                                                      Other
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Total   16,768
                                                                                                                     Westmeath                                         5,030    783                                                                                                               Total     19,995
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    11,510

                                                                                                                         Offaly
                                Roscommon                                                                                Cavan
                                Longford                                                                             Monaghan

                                                                                                                           Laois
                                                                                                                                           Roscommon/Longford                                                                Mayo                                                                                                           Waterford/Kilkenny/                                                                                 Wexford/ Wicklow/Carlow
                                                                                                                         Kildare           Advisory Region                                                                   Advisory Region                                                                                                Advisory Region                                                                                     Advisory Region
                                                                                                                          Meath
                                                                                                                          Louth                      No. of                   Ave. farm Ave. Std.		                               No. of                                        Ave. farm Ave. Std.		                                                 No. of                           Ave. farm                   Ave. Std.		                          No. of                                    Ave. farm Ave. Std.
                                                                                                                         Dublin                      Farms                    size. (Ha.) Output 		                               Farms                                         size. (Ha.) Output 		                                                 Farms                            size. (Ha.)                 Output 		                            Farms                                     size. (Ha.) Output
                                                                                                                                           		                                 (Ha.)       (€)                                		                                                 (Ha.)       (€)                                             		                                         (Ha.)                       (€)                          		                                                (Ha.)       (€)
                                   Galway
                                                                                                                                           Roscommon 6,313                   27.1        13,508                              Mayo 12,458                                       22.4        11,473                                           Waterford 2,761                            45.6                        61,693                       Wexford 4,426                                    41.2        48,716
                                   Clare
                                                                                                                                           Longford  2,601                   28.0        20,157                                                                                                                                             Kilkenny  3,737                            44.1                        50,567                       Wicklow 2,394                                    42.3        36,891
                                   Tipperary                                                         OAK PARK           Wicklow                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Carlow  1,802                                    39.2        40,426
                                                                                        Knockbeg                         Carlow
                                                                                                                        Wexford
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               312
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   1,005
                                                                           Solohead                                                                                    674
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         360   86                                                                                                            101
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        466
                                                                                                                       Kilkenny                                                213                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             1,046                 627
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 205
                                                                                                                       Waterford                                                                                                     1,372                                                                                                                                                                         Specialist Tillage                                                                596
                                Kerry                                                                                                        6,543
                                                                                                                                                                                         965
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Cattle Production   1,427                                                                                                                                                                                     Specialist Dairy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Specialist Dairying
                                Limerick                                                                                                                                                                           Cattle                                                                                            Sheep
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         747
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1,167
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Specialist Beef                                                                                                 Specialist Tillage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Sheep                                                                                             Mixed Livestock                                                                               Specialist Sheep                                                                                                Specialist Beef
                                                                                                                                                                                                 519                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             1,308
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               265                                                                                                                                 Specialist Sheep
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Dairying                                                                                      Mixed Grazing
                                                                                                   Cork East                                                                                                       Mixed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Mixed Grazing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             2,272                                                                                   Other
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Mixed Crops & Livestock
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Dairy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Mixed Livestock & Crops
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Mixed Crops
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Total - 12,458                                                                                                                                                                                                           Mixed Field Crop
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Other                                                                  7,497                                                                                                                    Other                                                                               1,099
                                                                                       Cork West                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Total   6,498                                                                                                           Other
                                                                                                                                                                                                          Total - 8,914                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2,678
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Total    8,622
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2,942

        20                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   21
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

                                Strategic Pathway 3:
Service 2015-2020

                                Increase front-line advisor numbers to 240

                                                                                                      Numbers of Teagasc advisors in
                                                                                                          various age cohorts
                                There is a risk that if the mainstream number of
                                                                                         60
                                advisors continues to decline and reaches a critical
                                level, farm organisations, other stakeholders and
                                industry partners will inevitably look at other ways     50
                                to support innovation or withdraw from innovation
                                support totally. The consequences of this would
                                                                                         40
                                be a significant reduction in the level of innovation
                                support provided under the Teagasc programme
                                umbrella and a significant reduction in efficiency       30
                                and output. There is no doubt as a consequence
                                that the ambitious targets under Food Harvest
                                                                                         20
                                2020 and its successor that’s under preparation
                                would be severely compromised.
                                                                                         10
                                The regional advisor is central to the effective
                                delivery of Teagasc’s strategy to drive
                                                                                         0
                                sustainable farm incomes through productivity.                  Age   Age    Age    Age  Age    Age    Age Age       Age
                                In order to achieve the ambitious growth and                   20-25 26-30   31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50   51-55 56-60   61-65

                                sustainability targets set out in Food Harvest
                                                                                                                 Male           Female
                                2020, and what’s likely to be laid out for its
                                successor that’s in preparation while also fulfilling
                                other public good obligations, Teagasc regional and
                                senior managers believe a minimum of 240                 Total advisor numbers are projected to decline to
                                frontline advisors is essential.                         182 by 2020 in the absence of recruitment. In fact
                                                                                         advisor numbers at present are already running
                                Recruitment of advisors has not been evenly              at about 10 below the critical figure of 240 which
                                distributed across the country over recent decades.      regional and senior managers believe is essential
                                As for the public sector generally, there have been      to sustainably serve clients and achieve FH2020
                                periods of strong recruitment and occasional             targets.
                                moratoriums. This has led to the variation in the
                                number of advisors per age cohort that’s observed
                                across the regions. The chart opposite illustrates
                                that a large number of advisors will retire in the
                                coming five-year period.

                                These retirements and the current moratorium on
                                recruitment will lead to a precipitous fall in adviser
                                numbers in the coming years. Any further
                                reduction in advisor numbers will therefore
                                compromise the entire innovation support system.

        22                                                                                                                                                   23
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

Service 2015-2020

                                Client numbers per advisor

                                With the decline in advisor numbers, average             However the situation is now close to becoming       The reduction in Advisors
                                client numbers per advisor has risen from 111 in         unsustainable with so many farms requiring on farm   between 2014 and 2020.
                                2008, to 183 in 2014. Due to projected retirements,      advice with economic, production and
                                the number of clients per advisor will rise further      environmental problems.
                                to 242 in 2020 if there is no recruitment. This client
                                                                                                    Client numbers per advisor, 2008-2020
                                workload is clearly unsustainable.                                          (without recruitment)

                                                                                          300
                                The establishment of discussion groups in recent                                                                                         Sligo Leitrim
                                years has helped to compensate for the increased          250                                                                        4   Donegal

                                number of clients to some extent but one-to-one           200
                                consultations and farm visits have decreased
                                                                                           150
                                significantly. Farm visits are highly effective in
                                                                                          100                                                                                                                                    Westmeath
                                generating trust between client and advisor and                                                                                                                                                      Offaly
                                play a key role in the adoption of technology and          50                                                                                                                                       Cavan
                                hence in the enhancement of on-farm                                                                              2
                                                                                                                                                     Mayo
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Monaghan     7
                                                                                            0
                                productivity and sustainable incomes.                             2008               2014            2020
                                                                                                                                                     Roscommon
                                The regional staffing picture                                            Total number of Teagasc advisors,
                                                                                                         2008-2020 (without recruitment)
                                                                                                                                                 2   Longford
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Laois
                                                                                          450
                                Teagasc has successfully retained its impact with         400
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Kildare
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Meath
                                farmer clients by increasing group based activity at      350                                                                                                                                        Louth
                                the expense of one-to-one on-farm visits.                 300                                                                                                                                       Dublin    8
                                Excluding GLAS, Teagasc has outsourced                    250
                                20-25% of activities at full-cost recovery. Increased     200                                                            Galway/
                                efficiency in the use of online services and in the       150                                                        4   Clare
                                co-ordination of publications.                            100
                                                                                           50                                                            Tipperary                                                OAK PARK         Wicklow
                                                                                           0                                                         3                                               Knockbeg                       Carlow
                                                                                                  2008               2014             2020                                                                                         Wexford    4
                                                                                                                                                                                         Solohead
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Kilkenny
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Waterford
                                                                                                                                                     Kerry/
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              5
                                                                                                                                                 8   Limerick

                                                                                                                                                                                                                Cork East
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             5
                                                                                                                                                                                                    Cork West
                                                                                                                                                                                                                5

        24                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        25
Teagasc Agricultural Advisory
Strategic Pathways for the

                                Strategic Pathway 4:
Service 2015-2020

                                Intensify the overhaul of the Teagasc advisory service
                                delivery model

                                Teagasc delivers a portfolio of advisory services       The Strategic Alliance option
                                ranging from education and ‘knowledge transfer’ to
                                enabling farmers to optimise their utilisation of       Teagasc has successfully established a Strategic
                                EU and national schemes. A minimum cohort of            Alliance with Farm Relief Services (FRS) to assist
                                240 of frontline advisors is a necessary requirement    in the delivery of the GLAS Scheme. This
                                for the viability of the advisory service but it will   partnership arrangement will operate for the
                                not be sufficient to address the existing and            lifetime of GLAS during which Teagasc may
                                anticipated pressure on the delivery of core            consider evolving the partnership into related areas
                                ‘Knowledge Transfer’ services. Other actions will be    of work (i.e., schemes), where the need arises.
                                required. A menu of such actions is set out below.
                                These actions are based on the prioritisation of        The primary objective of such arrangements will
                                Teagasc’s education and ‘knowledge transfer’            be to maintain the strong focus of Teagasc staff
                                activities and on the need for Teagasc to               on the sustainable intensification of their clients’
                                continually refresh its client base by the              farms (i.e, ‘Knowledge Transfer’) while providing
                                recruitment of new entrants to farming.                 a scheme-support service to farmers who wish to
                                                                                        avail of funded programmes in the RDP 2015-2020.
                                Continue to sub-contract the delivery                   A partnership arrangement is also considered
                                of non-core work                                        to be the most effective way for Teagasc to
                                                                                        maintain a strong relationship with its client base.
                                Teagasc instigated the sub-contracting to private
                                providers of REPS Records compilation for its           Teagasc Technology Outreach service
                                clients in 2012. In early 2014 the sub-contracting
                                of other schemes and data management                    Teagasc recognises the need to reach out to a
                                support work was also initiated. Sub-contracting        wider cadre of rural professionals (e.g. private
                                was implemented on an advisory regional basis.          agricultural consultants, veterinarians, professional
                                The administration involved was significant but         agricultural staff employed in the banks and
                                lessons were learned and the process has been           agri-businesses, legal and financial companies
                                improved and is now working well. So far the            involved with the agricultural sector, etc.) who
                                financial outlay on sub-contracting is about            are in regular contact with farmers. With reduced
                                €500,000 or equivalent to about 12 work units.          staff resources the establishment of a Technology
                                                                                        Outreach Service to be known as Teagasc
                                In future sub-contracting will be extended to           Connected will provide Teagasc with another
                                other DAFM Schemes, ‘nitrate derogations’ and           avenue for ensuring that its unique bank of
                                the production of e-Profit Monitors. The Teagasc        technological and research knowledge will be
                                experience is that outsourcing is not suitable for      transmitted, at least indirectly, for the benefit of
                                core ‘knowledge transfer’ activities. However, for      the maximum possible number of farmers.
                                sub-contracting to work effectively, particularly in    This service will be in the form of Continuous
                                relation to implementation and quality control,         Professional Development programmes delivered
                                a high level of administration and assistance from      by Teagasc specialists, advisors and researchers.
                                local advisors is required.                             It is planned to commence this service in the next
                                                                                        couple of months.

        26                                                                                                                                      27
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