Riseholme College has entered a national agricultural competition entitled “Business Planner of the Year”. 

This high profile challenge is organised by the Institute of Agricultural Management and sponsored by Farmers Weekly and Marks & Spencer’s. 

It is open to further and higher education establishments around the country and the 2012 event will see 13 establishments compete against each other. 

Riseholme College has entered a team of nine second year students who are currently studying the Extended Diploma in Agriculture.

The format requires submission of a business plan for diversification, asset and revenue growth using Farley Hills Estates, near Reading and their 2012 acres as the case study.  The winning plan is selected by the estate owner Lord Bearsted and will be implemented.

The plan submission will be the 21st May with final judging the second week of June.

Team Riseholme participants are: Will Brooks, Andrew Boulton, Courtnery Cotton, Steven Dunnington, Jake Gill, Kirsten Hoggard, Nathan Page, Helena Rushby and Josh Watchorn. 

Darren Adkins the Commercial Manager for Bayer Crop sciences gave a presentation to the Year 1 and 2 Extended Diploma in Agriculture students.

He discussed the importance of using qualified advisors on farms and briefly discussed his career from graduation from Riseholme College in the 1990’s. He encouraged the students to pursue their careers into agronomy via a degree and through obtaining the basis qualification.

Darren also spoke about Bayer and the role they play in agriculture and new products that are being introduced in the agricultural market place.

Our Level 3 engineers visited Wold Engineering, the importer of Ploeger vegatable harvesters.

These 25 tonne £380,000 pea viners are fairly complex and need skilled engineers to ensure that they have a trouble free 8 week harvest.

The engineers were given an insight into what maintenance is required during their annual service.

Sally Jackson came from the Pink Pig Farm to talk to the current first year Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture Students as well as the Level 2 Diploma in Agriculture. She based her talk on the development of the farm business and the diversification of the farm shop.

Great discussion was generated between the learners and Sally over the development of the food and agriculture sector. Sally explained to the learners that currently farm shops provide a third of UK farm food produce directly to the consumer, and are currently ahead of some super market retail chains. It was also highlighted that there is a lot more pressure on the producer to meet specific quality requirements by supermarkets.

Riseholme College’s farm is opening its doors to the public on Sunday 26th February, for a special live lambing event.

Members of the public can come along to see lambs being born. Riseholme College students and staff will be on hand all day to explain what’s happening, what signs to look for and answer questions about farming.

Lambing forms part of the curriculum for students studying agriculture and animal courses at the University of Lincoln’s Riseholme College, although students on all courses are given the opportunity to get involved with the tiring 24 hour lambing rota, which involves monitoring the pregnant ewes, recognising the first signs of labour and delivering lambs.

Students studying agriculture learn about managing livestock, and are involved in the entire process of lambing, which is the culmination of months of hard work beginning in autumn with choosing a ram. Sheep farming is worth millions to the UK economy, and while agricultural land in Lincolnshire is given over mainly to arable farming, it is still important for students to take livestock skills with them into their future careers.

Some Riseholme students are already showing great promise in stock handling, including Chrissy Tyrrell, who is studying a BSc in Agriculture and Environmental Management at the University of Lincoln, based at Riseholme. Chrissy, from Spalding, won Young Stock Handler of the year at the Smithfield festival in December, after success in several qualifying events around the country.

Lambing Live at Riseholme will take place on Sunday 26th February, between 10.30am and 3.30pm, at the sheep unit. Please use the main entrance off the A15, where parking is available on the sports field. The event is being held in conjunction with the Riseholme Young Farmers, who will be asking for a £1 donation on entry. All proceeds will go to the Riseholme Young Farmers Club and the Lincolnshire Air Ambulance.

Please note: Women who are, or who may be, pregnant should avoid close contact with sheep during lambing periods (http://www.hpa.org.uk)
ENDS

For general press enquiries contact:
Michelle Mortimer: Marketing, Intelligence and Recruitment Officer
(01522) 895441 mmortimer@lincoln.ac.uk