Insight to Agriculture (Farming for Non-Farmers) Course

Our Insight to Agriculture (Farming for Non-Farmers) Course is aimed at business professionals working with individuals and businesses in agriculture and the wider land-based sector but with little or no previous background experience or knowledge of it. 

With a blended learning approach adopted and guided by experts in their field, our face-to-face or online course will develop and enhance delegates’ understanding of the complexities and nuances of the sector, providing them with a strong foundation for further professional development.

selection of images of students being taught about farming

Over two or four days, delegates will gain an understanding of agriculture industry fundamentals, specifically within the disciplines of arable, dairy, livestock (including poultry), horticulture, grassland, forestry and farm diversification. The key sector nuances and challenges that will be addressed include:

  • The farming year
  • Subsidies
  • Renewables
  • Farm business tenancies, joint venture, share and contract farming
  • Business planning and business development
  • Mechanisation and Agri-tech
  • Natural capital and biodiversity net gain (carbon neutrality)
  • Future of farming

Delegates will also have opportunity and experience to visit university farms and other agricultural establishments to further support their knowledge and understanding of the sector.

Modes of course delivery

We offer our course face-to-face (residentially) and also online (live delivery) over either two or four days. A hybrid of face-to-face and online delivery is also available.

It is delivered by experienced farming practitioners, supported by a variety of individuals from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the agriculture and wider land-based sector, as well as from academia.

We adopt a blended learning approach, combining lecture-delivered theory with discussion of real-life examples and site visits (physically or remotely).

Aimed at delegates with little to no previous background experience or knowledge of the sector, our focus is on promoting understanding, with the course pitched at an appropriate level by our experienced and committed staff team.

 Apply now

For more information, including our next course dates, to book a place or to request a call back to talk about your specific requirements, please email us at professional.training@rau.ac.uk.