Newletter - June 2010

Content in Summary:

Events – CPPS Open Day at NIAB’s Innovation Farm 16 July; Royal Society Festival of Arts and Science, Dept of Plant Sciences exhibiting 26 June-4 July; Brooms Barn Open Day 29 June; British Ecological Society Symposium at NIAB 15 July

Jobs – BSPB: IP Enforcement Manager (deadline 30 June)

Recruiting the next generation in to agricultural industries – Work Inspiration Campaign in Agriculture; Agriculture’s Big Conversation 14 October 2010 at the NAC, Stoneleigh – CALL FOR SUPPORT



Events

The next CPPS-event is a dedicated Open Day at NIAB’s new Innovation Farm, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0LE on Fri 16 July, 3:30-17:00 – an excellent networking opportunity following on from the CPPS Symposium in April! The afternoon will start at the new Innovation Farm Visitor Centre, sponsored by EEDA, situated in the NIAB Cambridge Headquarters west wing, followed by visits to field and, we hope to the growth room demonstration facilities. There will be an opportunity to discuss some examples of research that is ongoing and how it might be relevant to you and your business/research. We will end with a question and answer session back at the Visitor Centre followed by tea and coffee. FREE registration – simply email bgs21@cam.ac.uk to indicate you will come.

Royal Society Festival of Arts and Science (Dept of Plant Sciences, Cambridge, exhibiting "Meet the Algae: Diversity, Biology and Energy": 26 June – 4 July, 10:00-20:30, at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX . Full details can be found at: http://seefurtherfestival.org/exhibition/view/meet-algae-diversity-biology-and-energy.

Brooms Barn Open Day: 29 June, 13:00-16:30, in Higham, Bury St. Edmunds, IP28 6NP. If you would like to attend please register, by email: christine.hobart@bbsrc.ac.uk or Fax: 01284 811191. Full details can be found at: http://www.rothamsted.bbsrc.ac.uk/broom/events/

British Ecological Society Symposium at NIAB: 15 July, 9:30-16:15, at NIAB Innovation Farm, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0LE. Full details, incl. programme and application form, can be found at: http://www.niab.com/innovation_farm/id/205/Events


Jobs

British Society of Plant Breeders – IP Enforcement Manager

BSPB is the royalty collection agency and representative body for the UK’s plant breeding industry. We are seeking a full time manager for our audit and enforcement section.

As part of the BSPB management team you will manage the Society’s audit, enforcement and investigation activities in relation to both certified and farm saved seed. You must have managerial experience, strong organisational ability, excellent communication skills and a high level of IT competence. Experience in investigation and enforcement would be highly beneficial. You will be based in our office in Ely.

Applications should be sent in the form of a CV and covering letter including current salary details to BSPB Ltd, Woolpack Chambers, Market Street, Ely, Cambs CB7 4ND or by e-mail to enquiries@bspb.co.uk by 30th June 2010. For an informal discussion call 01353 653201.



Recruiting the next generation in to agricultural industries – CALL FOR SUPPORT

The farming industry needs to recruit 6,000 new people a year for the next decade to retain a labour force at the level required to maintain current levels of output. If we intend to grow the business, we need more – and better – entrants. And that 6,000 doesn’t take account of those needed in ancillary industries from agronomy to banking; merchanting to food processing. While not a crisis, this is a challenge the industry has to face up to and the sooner the better.

The challenge begins in the classroom with 14 to 16 year olds who are making decisions about GCSE and A Levels subjects – the choices which will decide the degrees or diplomas they will take and, ultimately, the career destination they will target.

Engaging students and teachers through a positive and dynamic work experience programme is key if we are to highlight the vast range of opportunities available to young people. With this in mind, RASE, Fresh Start, Business in the Community and a group of agricultural business leaders are launching Agriculture's Big Conversation – a project designed to turn work experience into work inspiration and so "turn on" young people to the exciting prospects that exist in agricultural and land-based careers.

RASE have teamed up with BITC to deliver the Work Inspiration campaign in agriculture because they all believe such a national campaign can inspire the next generation of students to consider agriculture as their career choice. Clicking the following links you will find immediate information on the concept and how work experience may work in practice.

David Yiend, Chief Executive of AB Agri has agreed to head up Agriculture’s Big Conversation which will take place on 14th October 2010 at the NAC, Stoneleigh. Denis Chamberlain, chairman of Fresh Start, is working with him.

What we need now is the full support of trade associations, representative organisations, businesses serving agriculture and farmers themselves who can play a major role in supporting this initiative. It is a project that must succeed if we’re going to address the skills shortage the industry is facing and provide the entrepreneurs, managers and leaders that we will need to meet the food, energy and environmental challenges of the future. By working together we can all make a difference.

For further information please contact Ian Beecher-Jones, Project Manager - Agriculture's Big Conversation, t: 01491 642 300, m: 07967 637 985, e: ian@beecherjones.com.

He and the project team will be happy to answer any questions you may have on Agriculture’s Big Conversation and explain how you can get involved. It is a chance for the whole industry to come together, break the work experience mould and bring in the entrants we need.
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If you have any events, news or advertisements you would like to be included in the next newsletter, please email Beatrix Schlarb-Ridley (bgs21@cam.ac.uk) by 14 July 2010.
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Previous issues of the Newsletter can be downloaded as pdfs:

January 2010;
February 2010;
March 2010;
April 2010;
May 2010;
June 2010