NEWBIE New Entrant netWork: Business models for Innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience in European agriculture (1 of 2)

Access to labour is a serious problem in Bulgarian agriculture, in particular for new entrants. It is not easy to find responsible employees because of lots of manual work yet, low wages, western farms strong competition for seasonal workers.

New entrants look for effective solutions and the approach of GREEN TO GO farm in the village of Chernyovo could help them:

The key points to succeed:

• Permanently implement innovation and modern systems for planting, irrigation, harvesting and processing of vegetables, which significantly reduce manual work and saving time

• The technologies used allow more work to be done and better production by less number but more qualified employees

• Long-term employment as the production and processing is specific and need skilful people and their training is time-consuming

• Each month specialized trainings for the farm innovation, new technology and better efficiency to their employees.

• Improvement of working environment, farm transport to workplace and insurance for 15 people permanently employed, and 5 to 10 seasonal workers, on fixed-term or one-day employment contracts.

Recommendations:

• Innovation, amortization of process to reduce manual work and increase work efficiency

• Education and training all the time

• Effective and smart farming to provide adequate payment to employees

Намирането на работници е сериозен проблем в земеделието в България, особено за новите фермери. Усилената работа, многото ръчен труд, ниското заплащане, конкуренцията на западните ферми за сезонна и много по-добре платена работа силно затрудняват намирането на отговорни кадри.

Новите фермери търсят ефективни решения и подходът на ферма GREEN TO GO в с. Черньово, общ. Ихтиман може да помогне:

Ключови точки:

• Постоянно въвеждат иновации и модерни системи при засаждане, напояване, бране и обработване на листните зеленчуци, които значително намаляват ръчния труд и пестят време

• Използваните технологии позволяват с малко на брой, но по-квалифициран персонал да извършват повече работа и по-качествена продукция

• Дългосрочната заетост, тъй като производството и преработката са специфични и се нуждаят от опитни хора, а обучението им отнема много време

• Всеки месец специализирани обучения на служителите за иновации във фермата, нови технологии и по-добра ефективност

• Подобряват условията на труд, осигуряват служебен транспорт и застраховки на 15 души постоянно наети, и 5 до 10 сезонни работници, на срочни или еднодневни трудови договори..

Препоръки:

• Иновации, автоматизиране на процесите за намаляване на ръчния труд и повишаване на ефективността на работата

• Образование и обучение през цялото време

• Ефективно и интелигентно фермерство, за да има адекватно заплащане на работната ръка

Vasil cultivates 12 hectares of organic land and grows organic essential plants such as roses, lavender and organic fruit and vegetables. His family cultivates more than 100 hectares and extracts organic essential oils in their distillery. The family works together and everyone has his own responsibility.

The practical training in Reading University, Great Britain, encouraged Vasil to go through all processes to optimize cultivation, distillation, organic production and marketing. He decided to diversify the products and develop an export strategy for their own brand InaEssentials. Since February 2019, Vasil has organized export and sales to 8 EU countries with 500,000 customers. Key points of his business model:

• e-commerce,

• Marketing differentiation according to each country, its culture and customers’ expectations and motivation to purchase,

• motivated local team and practical training,

• Web-page/on-line store in the language of the country they sell: www.inaessentials.co.uk, https://inaessentials.de/, https://inaessentials.ro/, https://www.inaessentials.sk/ and quick supply to clients.

The young entrepreneur Vasil and his friend Georgi Dimitrov are an inspiration for the young people in Bulgaria with their entrepreneurial book for Teenagers and their practical advice, short videos and posts “Don’t be mediocre”. Vasil and Georgi were among “30 under 30” successful young entrepreneurs of Forbes Bulgaria 2019.

His recommendation: Learn by the best and don’t be afraid to start.

Васил отглежда биологични етерично-маслени култури: рози, лавандула, плодове и зеленчуци на 120 дк. Семейството му обработва над 1000 дк и има дестилерия. Работят заедно и всеки има конкретни отговорности.

Практическото образование в университета в Рединг, Великобритания, стимулира Васил да премине през всички бизнес процеси от отглеждането на растенията, дестилацията, производството на биологична кометика до маркетинга и ги оптимизира.Решава да диверсифицира продуктите и разработва стратегия на собствената марка InaEssentials за екпорт. От февруари 2019 г. Васил вече продава в 8 държави от ЕС с 500 000 клиенти. Ключови моменти от неговия бизнес модел:

• електронна търговия,

• Маркетингова диференциация според държавата, културата, очаквания и мотивацията за покупка на клиентите,

• Мотивиран местен екип и практическото му обучение

• Уеб страница / онлайн магазин на езика на държавата, в която продават като www.inaessentials.co.uk , https://inaessentials.de/ , https://inaessentials.ro/ и бърза доставка до клиента.

Младият предприемач Васил и приятелят му Георги Димитров са вдъхновение за младите хора в България с предприемаческата им книга за тийнейджъри и практическите съвети, кратки видеа и публикации „Не бъди посредствен“. Васил и Георги бяха сред „30 под 30“ успешни млади предприемачи на „Форбс България 2019“.

Препоръката на Васил: Учете се от най-добрите и не се страхувайте да започнете.

The Association was established in 2005 with the French Association OSON Ile de France support by the participation of scientists and professors from the University of Thrace - Agrarian Faculty, Stara Zagora and innovative farmers. The expansion of meat sheep breeding has a positive economic impact both for farmers and the country and provides young, creative farmers access to EU markets. The average age of farmers in the organization is 45 years.

Benefits for new entrants:

• Access to knowledge and excellent long-term partnership applied science – livestock farmers

• Practical scientific advice and good practices in the selection and breeding of high-productive animals

• New technologies and digitization in breeding with the web app or e-genealogy book for the Ile-de-France breed: an e - register for adding, changing and archiving information about farmers, farms, herds, animals and related events; generating reports on breeding activities; certificates of origin; index calculation

• Sharing of experience and knowledge by organizing and participating in national and international specialized exhibitions, forums for exchange of knowledge between Bulgarian and European partners / mainly French breeders /

• Promote excellence through annual farmers' prizes and awards

• Participation in the programming of agricultural development through the Association involvement in the Advisory Board for Animal Production of the Minister of Agriculture and Food, the Genetic Resources Council, the Executive Agency for Breeding and Reproduction in Livestock, the Monitoring Committee for National RDP 2014-2020 etc.

• International cooperation

More on web page: https://www.iledefrance-bg.com/

Асоциацията е създадена през 2005 г. с подкрепа на френската асоциация - OSON Ile de France, с участието на учени и преподаватели от Тракийски университет – Аграрен факултет, Стара Загора и иновативни фермери. Разширяването на месодайното овцевъдство се отразява положително икономически не само за фермерите, а за страната и извежда младите, креативни фермери на европейските пазари. Средната възраст на фермерите в организацията е 45 години.

Ползите за новите фермери:

• Достъп до знания и отлично дългогодишно партньорство наука - животновъдство

• Практични научни съвети и добри практики в селекцията и отглеждането на високопродуктивни животни

• Нови технологии и дигитализация в селекцията с „Уеб приложение” или Електронна родословна книга за породата Ил дьо Франс: електронен регистър с възможност за добавяне, промяна и архивиране на информация за фермери, ферми, стада, животни и събития свързани с тях; генериране на справки за селекционната дейност; сертификати за произход; изчисляване на индекси

• Споделяне на опит и знания чрез организиране и участие в национални и международни специализирани изложения, форуми за обмен на знания между български и европейски партньори /предимно френски фермери-селекционери/;

• Стимулиране на отлични постижения чрез ежегодни призове и награди за фермери

• Участие в програмирането на развитието на земеделието чрез участия на Асоциацията в Консултативния съвет по животновъдство към Министъра на земеделието и храните, в Съвета за генетични ресурси, към Изпълнителна Агенция по Селекция и Репродукция в Животновъдството, Комитет по наблюдение на ПРСР и др.

• Международно сътрудничество

Our entire live has changed for several days: lockdown countries, closed borders, quarantine, online training and work from home. The agriculture is no exception with temporary bans for farmer’s markets, open farm days and other events for direct sales. For small farms and new entrants, the digital marketing is becoming crucial for product sales. Either individually or through cooperation, small farms in Bulgaria strive to cope with the dire crisis

What are they doing:

• Communicate more actively with their customers online or by phone

• Instead of farmer's markets, they mobilize and do fast home delivery while meeting all safety requirements

• The e-platforms for agricultural products are becoming more popular. In times of crisis, some of them remove the cost of delivery

• The declined import of fruits and vegetables due to closed borders forces them to accept orders online and do deliveries much faster and frequently than before

• They are more visible and creative on social media: post more useful information such as the benefits of healthy pure foods to boost immunity, launch new headlines with interesting, quick and delicious chef’s recipes that make home cooking fun. They try to be more attractive and entertaining

• They cooperate to meet the growing demand for home delivery by collectively enriching the range of products offered, reducing transportation costs and more easily meeting the restrictive conditions of the coronavirus.

Will the enlarging lockdown of countries and the heavy barriers to international trade change the agriculture and make it focused on local production and quick delivery of agricultural products and food?

Целият ни живот се промени само за дни – блокирани държави, затворени граници, изолирани вкъщи, онлайн обучение и работа. Земеделието не прави изключение със забраните на фермерските пазари, посещенията на ферми и събития за директни продажби. За малките ферми и нови фермери дигиталният маркетинг стана решаващ за реализацията на продукцията. Независимо дали индивидуално или чрез коопериране малките ферми в България се стремят да се справят с тежката криза

Какво предприемат:

• Още по-активно общуват с клиентите си онлайн или по телефона

• Вместо фермерски пазари се мобилизират за бърза доставка по домовете при спазване на всички изисквания за безопасност

• Онлайн платформите за земеделски продукти стават все по-популярни. В условията на криза някои от тях премахнаха разходите за доставка

• За да компенсират намалелия внос на плодове и зеленчуци, заради затваряне на граници, приемат поръчки онлайн и ги изпълняват много по-бързо и по-често от преди.

• Стават по-забележими и по-креативни в социалните медии: публикуват повече полезна информация като ползата от здравословната чиста храна за укрепване на имунитета, стартират нови рубрики с интересни, бързи и вкусни рецепти на шеф-готвачи, които правят готвенето вкъщи удоволствие. Стараят се да са атрактивни и дори забавни

• Кооперират се, за да отговорят на нарасналото търсене на доставки по домовете като заедно обогатяват асортимента на предлаганите продукти, намаляват транспортните разходи и по-лесно отговарят на ограничителните условия на коранавирус.

Дали все по-пълната блокада на страните и силно затрудняване на международната търговия ще промени земеделието като се фокусира върху местно производство и бърза доставка на земеделски продукти и храни?

Between the 14-15 of July the Portuguese Newbie team organized a national visit to different initiatives and projects of interest. During the field trip we stopped in Marvão to heard about a challenged by its municipality to the School of tourism and hospitality of Portalegre to develop 2 recipes with the locally grown chestnut. This is not an isolated initiative but fits within a wider strategy to promote and value the chestnut. In Idanha-a-Nova we visited different ongoing and just starting initiatives, including municipality led initiatives such as the agrifood logistic center in Ladoeiro and the Rural Base Incubator, the Colaborative Laboratory – food 4 sustainability, the association for alternative farming ARAA and its Centro Documental Raiano, and the Business Center, all lead by different non institutional organizations.

This diversity of initiatives and promoters is in part possible due to a municipal strategy that has organic farming as a key stone to attract people and business to the territory. Having a strategy with clear pillars, allowed for a continuity in projects and initiatives, attracting other promoters, building knowledge and social capital needed to create enabling environments in marginal areas such as the visited territories. Local strategies also have the potential of taking advantage of local characteristics or products, further contributing to the development the territory.

Entre 14 e 15 de Julho, a equipa NEWBIE organizou uma visita a diferentes iniciativas e projectos de interesse. A visita incluiu uma paragem em Marvão para ouvir falar de um desafio do seu município à Escola de Turismo e Hotelaria de Portalegre para desenvolver 2 receitas com a castanha de Marvão. Esta não é uma iniciativa isolada, mas enquadra-se numa estratégia municipal mais ampla para promover e valorizar a castanha. Em Idanha-a-Nova visitámos diferentes iniciativas em curso e em fase de arranque, incluindo iniciativas lideradas pelo município, tais como o Centro Logístico Agro-alimentar do Ladoeiro e a Incubadora de Base Rural, o Laboratório Colaborativo - Food 4 sustainability, a associação para a agricultura alternativa ARAA e o seu Centro Documental Raiano, e o Centro de Negócios, todas lideradas por diferentes organizações não institucionais.

Esta diversidade de iniciativas e promotores é em parte possível devido a uma estratégia municipal, que tem a agricultura biológica chave para atrair pessoas e negócios para o território.

Ter uma estratégia com pilares claros, permite continuidade nos projectos e iniciativas, atraindo outros promotores, construindo conhecimento e capital social necessário para criar ambientes favoráveis em áreas marginais como os territórios visitados. As estratégias locais têm também o potencial de tirar partido das características ou produtos locais, contribuindo ainda mais para o desenvolvimento do território.

Raquel has always been passionate about aromatic plants which motivated her to start her own farm business on land owned by her father in Alentejo. A pioneer in her field at a time where little information was available in Portugal, Raquel is the creator of the first organic brand ‘Ervitas catitas’ producing and marketing a range of dried herbs largely for the wholesale export market since 2008. She gradually expanded her business to include processing into essential oils and floral water through direct sales and short supply chain outlets. Through extensive research and development, Raquel has been experimenting cultivating and processing a range of native medicinal and culinary plants and herbs, including an endemic thyme variety. She works with an informal group of local farmers that supply raw products and offers on farm plant distillation and drying services. By increasing knowledge and awareness of native plants, ‘Ervitas catitas’ is actively contributing to the conservation of wild plants while raising the international standard and image of the Portuguese aromatics sector beyond being a raw products supplier but one capable of positioning themselves with high added value products.

Recommendations

• The creation of an organic brand with good communication was fundamental in enabling the business to position their products on the growing national and international market.

• Research and experimentation are key to the successful development of high quality, innovative and differentiated products, and so are visits to other countries, aromatics production models, and internet searches.

• Investments to boost direct sales and short supply through advertisement and strong presence at markets and fairs as well as social media.

Raquel sempre foi apaixonada por plantas aromáticas o que a motivou a iniciar a sua própria produção na propriedade do pai no Alentejo. Pioneira na área, e numa época em que havia pouca informação disponível em Portugal, Raquel criou a primeira marca biológica 'Ervitas catitas' que produz e comercializa desde 2008 ervas secas em grande parte para a exportação. O negócio foi expandindo gradualmente para incluir óleos essenciais e águas florais, vendidos por vendas diretas ou através de cadeias curtas. Através de extensa pesquisa e desenvolvimento, Raquel cultiva diversas variedades de plantas aromáticas, medicinais e condimentares autóctones, incluindo uma variedade endémica de tomilho. Ela trabalha com um grupo informal de agricultores locais que fornecem produtos brutos, e presta serviços de destilação e de secagem de plantas. Ao aumentar o conhecimento e a notoriedade das plantas autóctones, a Ervitas Catitas contribui para a conservação das plantas silvestres ao mesmo tempo que eleva o padrão internacional e a imagem do sector dos aromáticos português, capaz de se posicionar com produtos de elevado valor acrescentado para além de fornecedor de matérias-primas

Recomendações

• A criação de uma marca biológica com boa comunicação foi fundamental para posicionar os seus produtos no crescente mercado nacional e internacional.

• Investigação através de visitas a outros países, outros modelos de produção de aromáticos e pesquisas na internet, bem como experimentação são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento bem-sucedido de produtos de alta qualidade, inovadores e diferenciados.

• Investimento em publicidade e forte presença em mercados e feiras, bem como nas redes sociais para impulsionar as vendas diretas e de cadeias curtas.

Initially developed by five friends without land, Terrius is a gourmet business that builds on a collaborative network linking small-scale producers and processors in Marvão, in Alentejo, a forest-farm landscape mosaic of high biodiversity value. Their goal was to create upmarket innovative food preserves, adding value to local wild horticulture or non-wood forest resources such as acorn used in the region’s gastronomy. Since 2016, Rita and Filipe run the business and design original food recipes, connecting producers to small food processing units, and marketing innovative final products. Initially self-funded, the project soon received financial support from funds of local and regional development agencies. The city council granted the use of an old water mill which they use as a processing unit and shop alongside an existing ethnographic museum. In addition to marketing food products largely through short value chains, the business also includes gastronomic tourism circuits and culinary training. Their main motivation has been their entrepreneurial drive and field training combined with their convictions about sustainable food production, fair trade and rural economic development

Practical recommendations

• Focus on product differentiation and betting on high quality product and processing methods and secure high value addition for producers

• Invest in branding and smart communication that reflect and highlights regional identity and biodiversity stakes

• Establish a clear accounting and price harmonization system necessary for dealing with numerous small producers

• Conduct regular training and sensitization for all partners notably to ensure product homogenization and high quality standards

Fundada por cinco amigos sem terra, a Terrius é uma empresa gourmet de conservas alimentares inovadoras e de gama alta. Tem por base uma rede colaborativa de pequenos produtores e transformadores no Alentejo, sítio caracterizado por uma paisagem agroflorestal com elevado valor de biodiversidade. Rita e Filipe dirigem o negócio e criam receitas originais, conectando produtores a pequenas unidades de processamento de alimentos, para comercializar produtos finais inovadores e valorizar a horticultura silvestre local e recursos florestais não lenhosos, como a bolota, usados na gastronomia da região. Inicialmente autofinanciado, o projeto depressa recebeu apoio financeiro de agências de desenvolvimento locais e regionais. A Câmara Municipal cedeu espaço num antigo moinho de água que agora serve de unidade de processamento e loja. Além dos produtos alimentares, vendidos em grande parte por meio de cadeias curtas, o negócio inclui circuitos de turismo gastronómico e formação culinária. São motivados pela convicção de uma produção de alimentos sustentável, comércio justo e desenvolvimento económico rural e ajudados pelo seu impulso empreendedor e formação prática.

Recomendações

• Foco na diferenciação do produto e aposta em produtos e métodos de transformação de alta qualidade e garantir valor acrescentado para os produtores

• Investir numa imagem de marca e comunicação inteligente que reflita e destaque a identidade regional e a importância da biodiversidade

• Estabelecer um sistema claro de contabilidade e harmonização de preços, necessário para lidar com pequenos produtores

• Fazer formações e ações de sensibilização regulares com todos os parceiros para garantir a homogeneização do produto e altos padrões de qualidade

Access to land is a major constraint for new entrants in Portugal, especially for those outside a farming background. Platforms for matching land with no use and future land users are scarce except for the national initiative ‘Bolsa de Terras’. Created in 2012 to enable access to vacant rural land, it has been from the start geared towards purchasing or renting large landholdings. Municipalities are responsible for managing allotments, but land available is scant while waiting lists are long. To improve access to land in and around the town, where small scale farms dominate, and boost horticultural production, the Citizen Initiative in Montemor-o Novo created a land bank system. This is designed to match contacts of private vacant landowners with prospecting farmers and to facilitate the formalization of ‘comodato’ contracts between the parties. Through the contracts, the owners lease small plots - usually free of charge- but where the management of abandoned land reduces its risks of fire and pest thereby creating a win-win situation. The agreement may include a payment in kind to the land owner. The land banking system helped so far create twenty-one plots on a total of 10 ha.

Practical recommendations

• Initial sensitization campaigns are fundamental to raise awareness about the private vacant land potential for food security and local economy

• Importance of reaching out, collating and communicating a contact list of private land and prospective farmers

• Small investments in basic infrastructure (irrigation, storage, fence) and training in organic agriculture are important complementary measures

• Clear rules for the local land bank are fundamental to ensure the smooth functioning and avoid conflicts between users.

Acesso à terra é um dos principais constrangimentos para os novos empresários agrícolas em Portugal, em especial para aqueles sem ligação anterior ao meio agrícola. A mais proeminente plataforma para articular baldios e potenciais utilizadores é a iniciativa nacional Bolsa de Terras que tem privilegiado a grande propriedade. Os municípios gerem os lotes, mas têm pouco terreno disponível e longas listas de espera. Para melhorar o acesso à terra na cidade e arredores, onde predomina a pequena propriedade, a rede de cidadania de Montemor-o-Novo criou um sistema de bancos de terra. Este foi desenhado para articular proprietários privados com terras disponíveis e potenciais agricultores de modo a facilitar a formalização de contratos de “comodato”. Os proprietários cedem terrenos – normalmente lotes pequenos – de forma gratuita em troca da sua gestão, o que reduz os riscos de incêndio e de pragas associados aos terrenos abandonados, criando benefícios para ambas as partes. Os contratos também podem considerar que parte dos produtos seja dada ao proprietário. Até ao momento, o sistema de bancos de terra ajudou a criar 21 lotes, num total de 10 ha.

Recomendações práticas

• Campanhas iniciais de sensibilização são fundamentais para criar consciência sobre o potencial do uso de baldios e aumentar o valor destes para a segurança alimentar e a economia local.

• Importância de procurar, centralizar e divulgar uma lista de contactos de baldios e potenciais agricultores.

• Pequenos investimentos em infraestruturas básicas (irrigação, armazenamento, cercas) e formação em agricultura orgânica são medidas complementares importantes

• São necessárias regras claras para assegurar um funcionamento adequado e evitar conflitos

Short agri-food chains have a large potential to meet sustainable development goals by increasing competitiveness of small farms. Strong relationships between multiple stakeholders and the active engagement of local authorities are critical to create a conducive business environment. The Km0 Alentejo initiative brings together all actors in the food system to promote short food supply chains by creating direct links between producers, consumers, processors, shops and catering establishments operating under a certification scheme. The partnership brings together different governmental agencies, civil society, research and the private sector with the aim of boosting local farmers sales, promoting traditional gastronomy and generally act as an engine of rural economic growth. In addition to regular meetings between stakeholders, sensitization events such as gastronomic dinners, the initiative has created an innovative online mapping tool where producers, transformers and other businesses can be easily visualised along with the information about product availability.

Practical recommendations

• Build an initial common vision that brings forward the engagement of different stakeholders to develop a sustainable strategy for the local short supply chain initiative

• Streamlining contacts to increase the participation of different operators must be coordinated to ensure information is updated and accurate

• Communication and outreach must be tailored to needs and attitudes of the different actors that need to be mobilized

• Training and information sharing on marketing, billing, certification are important to build capacity and trust amongst actors (http://www.km0alentejo.pt/).

Cadeias agroalimentares curtas têm um grande potencial para responder aos objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável, ao aumentar a competitividade da pequena agricultura. Relações fortes entre as várias partes interessadas e o envolvimento ativo das autoridades locais são essenciais para criar um ambiente empresarial favorável. A iniciativa Km0 Alentejo reúne vários atores do sistema alimentar para a promover cadeias curtas através da criação de ligações diretas entre produtores, consumidores, transformadores, lojas e restauração, sob um regime de certificação. A parceria reúne diferentes órgãos governamentais, sociedade civil, investigação e setor privado com o objetivo de impulsionar as vendas dos agricultores locais, promover a gastronomia tradicional e, de forma geral, atuar como um motor do crescimento económico rural. Para além dos encontros regulares entre as partes interessadas e eventos de sensibilização, a iniciativa criou uma inovadora ferramenta de mapeamento online onde produtores, transformadores e outros negócios podem ser facilmente vistos bem como informação sobre a disponibilidade dos produtos.

Recomendações práticas

• Construir uma visão comum inicial que promova o envolvimento das diferentes partes interessadas de forma a criar uma estratégia sustentável

• A agilização dos contatos para aumentar a participação de diferentes operadores deve ser coordenada para garantir informação atualizada e precisa

• A comunicação e a abordagem devem ser adaptadas às necessidades e atitudes dos diferentes atores

• Formação e partilha de informações sobre marketing, faturação e certificação são importantes para o reforço de capacidades e criar confiança entre atores (http://www.km0alentejo.pt/).

With 1,1 M hectares Montado silvo-pastoral system in the South of Portugal, holm oaks acorns are an abundant raw product. Historically used in human diets, acorns have been neglected over the last decades. They are not harvested but serve as animal feed for livestock grazing under their canopy. Through extensive research and dedication to food and environmental sustainability, Sonia and Marco developed an opportunity to enhance the gastronomic value of acorns while fostering nature conservation. They created Bolota Viva, an agri-food business that combines culinary innovations through acorn processing with the preservation of oak trees. Their business model is based on the creation of a network of Montado landowners and conservation associations to develop a sustainable value chain that promote the restoration of a culturally important landscape. The range of acorn-based products they market falls under multiple specialized niches such as organic, vegan and gluten free products. Some of their key success factors have been their high-level education in food engineering and experience in catering, their capacity to create and innovate and their dedication to environmental awareness.

Practical recommendations

• Create a new image for undervalued raw products through communication and awareness-raising is fundamental to address consumer knowledge gaps and penetrate the highly competitive market for health product

• Conduct research and networking through word-of-mouth is instrumental in finding local partners with their certified organic land to join the network

• Continued investment in awareness raising and visibility in fairs and specialty shops helps develop the market and support the diversification of product lines.

Com 1,1 M ha de Montado silvo-pastoral no sul de Portugal, a bolota de azinheira é uma matéria prima abundante. Normalmente não é apanhada, mas usada para enriquecer a dieta dos animais. Foi utilizada na alimentação humana durante séculos, mas abandonada nas últimas décadas. Através da extensa pesquisa e dedicação à sustentabilidade alimentar e ambiental, Sónia e Marco desenvolveram uma forma de aumentar o valor gastronómico da bolota enquanto promovem a conservação da base de recursos naturais. Criaram o Bolota Viva, um negócio agroalimentar que usa inovação culinária através da transformação da bolota e que tem por base a criação de uma rede de proprietários e de associações de conservação do Montado para desenvolver uma cadeia de valor sustentável e que promove a conservação das azinheiras e a recuperação de uma paisagem culturalmente importante. O rol de produtos à base de bolota que comercializam recai em vários nichos, tais como produtos biológicos, veganos e sem glúten. Alguns dos fatores chave para o seu sucesso são: formação superior em engenharia alimentar, experiência em serviços de catering, capacidade para criar e dedicação à consciencialização ambiental.

Recomendações

• Criar uma nova imagem para produtos subvalorizados, através da comunicação e da consciencialização, é fundamental para colmatar desconhecimento dos consumidores e entrar no mercado altamente competitivo de produtos saudáveis

• Procurar produtores locais com produção orgânica certificada e disseminação boca-a-boca é fundamental para encontrar parceiros que se juntem à rede

• O investimento contínuo na sensibilização e visibilidade em feiras e lojas especializadas ajuda a desenvolver o mercado e a apoiar a diversificação de linhas de produtos.

“Netzwerk Flächensicherung” is an association aiming for the preservation of agricultural land for sustainable, socially just, and environmentally friendly land use and farming. The focus lies in the support of agricultural start-ups in getting access to land against large-scale agro-industries or speculative buyers. The association’s land is made available to farmers who identify themselves with the goals and ideas of “Netzwerk Flächensicherung”. Founding members of the network are inter alia the research institute Agronauten, Bündnis junge Landwirtschaft (Association of Young Alternative Agriculture), Netzwerk solidarische Landwirtschaft (CSA association), the matching platform HofsuchtBauer.de, and the nature conservation association NABU. Through the various initiatives involved, an exchange was established which it is envisaged will assist in reaching the association’s goals. Furthermore, the association aims to strengthen the contact with the national and international public to sensitize them to the topic. The first national conference of the network took place in 2018. Thanks to funding from the Heidehof Foundation, four workshops on the topics of 1) land succession, 2) land access, 3) cooperative business models, and 4) rural development had already been carried out. http://www.zugangzuland.de/, https://www.accesstoland.eu/.

Recommendations:

- New entrants become stronger together than alone;

- Association “Netzwerk Flächensicherung” targets newbie topics as described above (land succession, land access, cooperative business models, and rural development);

- Access to key resources (land, capital, networks, etc.) can be improved through these types of associations.

Das Netzwerk Flächensicherung ist ein Bündnis von Akteuren und Initiativen für den Erhalt von landwirtschaftlicher Nutzflächen für die bäuerliche und umweltschonende sowie sozial gerechte Landbewirtschaftung. Der Fokus liegt im Schutz der Flächen vor der agrarindustriellen oder spekulativen Nutzung. Das Land wird Bauernhöfen zur Verfügung gestellt, welche sich mit den Zielen und Vorstellungen von Netzwerk Flächensicherung identifizieren, so soll landwirtschaftlichen Existenzgründern der Zugang zu Landwirtschaftsflächen erleichtert werden. Gründungsmitglieder des Netzwerkes sind u. a. die Forschungseinrichtung die Agronauten, das Bündnis junge Landwirtschaft, das Netzwerk solidarische Landwirtschaft, die Plattform HofsuchtBauer.de sowie der NABU. Durch die verschiedenen beteiligten Akteure wurde ein Austausch etabliert, welcher das Erreichen der Ziele vereinfachen soll. Dadurch soll auch der Kontakt zur Öffentlichkeit im In- als auch im Ausland gestärkt werden, um diese für die Themen Land, Neueinstieg in die Landwirtschaft und Weitere zu sensibilisieren. Durch Fördermittel von der Heidehof-Stiftung konnten 2018 vier Workshops zu den Themen Erbrecht, Zugang zu Land, kooperative Geschäftsmodelle und ländliche Entwicklung umgesetzt werden. Auch die erste Bundeskonferenz des Netzwerks folgte.

Empfehlungen:

- Neueinsteiger können zusammen mehr bewirken;

- „Netzwerk Flächensicherung“ unterstützt direkt Neueinsteiger; siehe u. a. die oben genannten Workshops (Erbrecht, Zugang zu Land, kooperative Geschäftsmodelle, ländliche Entwicklung)

- Zugang zu Schlüsselressourcen kann über Vereine gestärkt werden.

The association, “Bündnis junge Landwirtschaft” promotes the interests of young alternative entrepreneurs in agriculture, who are not following mainstream farming practices. Key activities include; numerous events, network meetings, and discussion rounds. Cooperation and a committed network of farmers, beekeepers, craftsmen and educators from Brandenburg led to the development of projects such as "On the Farms: Cheese, Brewing, Beekeeping”. This is one of 13 workshops on farming and food-related activities (craft). It is aimed at consumers regardless of age and regional background (urban or rural). A membership in the association means becoming part of an innovative network of young farmers. One receives information on business start-ups, enters into exchange and connects to a strong voice – also on political topics.

All participating farms are presented on the website (https://buendnisjungelandwirtschaft.org/mitglieder). It is not only aimed toward those with their own farm, but also to those interested in the agricultural industry more generally. Cooks, advisors, pedagogues, etc. However, the primary target group are new entrants and starters in agriculture. These are specifically taken by the hand and practically accompanied on their way to farm independency. Further information and how one can become member in the association is available under https://buendnisjungelandwirtschaft.org/.

Recommendations:

- New entrants become stronger together than alone;

- Association of young alternative farmers supports newbies in getting knowledge, networks;

- Access to key resources (land, capital, etc.) can be improved via these kinds of associations.

Der Verein „Bündnis junge Landwirtschaft“ setzt sich für die Interessen von jungen Gründern in der Landwirtschaft ein; der Fokus liegt auf alternativen Produktions- und Vermarktungswegen. In dem Verein aus Berlin-Brandenburg finden zahlreiche Veranstaltungen, aber auch Netzwerktreffen und Diskussionsrunden statt. Kooperationen und ein engagiertes Netzwerk aus Landwirten, Imkern, Handwerkern und Pädagogen ermöglicht Projekte wie z.B. „Auf die Höfe: Käsen, Brauen, Imkern.“. Dies ist einer von 13 Workshops rund um bäuerliches Wissen und handwerkliche Tätigkeiten zu Landwirtschaft und Ernährung. Adressaten sind Verbraucher ungeachtet von Alter und Herkunft (Stadt oder Land). Die Mitgliedschaft im Verein ermöglicht, Teil eines innovativen Netzwerkes aus jungen Landwirten zu werden. Man erhält Informationen zum Thema Existenzgründung, kommt in Austausch und verbindet sich zu einer starken Stimme - auch zu politischen Themen. Auf der Internetseite sind alle teilnehmenden Betriebe vorgestellt: https://buendnisjungelandwirtschaft.org/mitglieder. Angesprochen werden nicht nur jene mit einem eigenen Hof, sondern Interessierte rund um die Landwirtschaft: Köche, genauso wie Berater oder auch Pädagogen, wenngleich der Fokus vor allem auf Gründern liegt. Diese werden gezielt an die Hand genommen und ganz praktisch auf ihrem Weg in die eigene Selbstständigkeit begleitet. Weitere Informationen, wie man selbst Mitglied in dem Bündnis werden kann oder den Newsletter erhält, siehe: https://buendnisjungelandwirtschaft.org/.

Empfehlungen:

- Neueinsteiger können zusammen mehr bewirken;

- Wissen/Netzwerke werden durch das Bündnis vermittelt;

- Zugang zu Schlüsselressourcen können über Vereine gestärkt werden.

Rural women are often limited to a small number of organizations that help them to set up their own business in or closely connected to agriculture. In most cases, information is geared more specifically towards male careers. As women often find no job prospects in rural areas, a certain number migrate to city regions. Individual initiatives and political supports have been set up to counteract this trend.

The federal project "Selbst ist die Frau" (“The woman is herself”), which is supported by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, aims to promote women in rural areas. Initiated by the German rural woman association (LandFrauen), women in rural areas are shown possibilities for setting up a business. Information and support are provided by ten so-called “start-up pilots”. They come from different regional associations and organize workshops. They are also available to give individual advice to women interested in setting up a business and refer them to suitable advice centers.

Through the project, rural women will be introduced to the possibility of an independent business start-up and informed about the advantages of old-age provision, individual working hours and equal pay for men and women. It is intended to encourage women in rural areas to set up their own businesses, contrary to tradition and existing social role expectations in rural areas.

In addition to the above, other initiatives and federal states offer further projects and support in the form of financial support and knowledge transfer, e.g. https://mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/unsere-themen/laendlicher-raum/foe….

Frauen auf dem Land finden häufig nu wenige Organisationen, durch die sie Unterstützung bei der Gründung eines eigenen Unternehmens im Agrarsektor erhalten. Meist sind Inhalte eher auf spezifisch männliche Berufe ausgerichtet. Da Frauen häufig auf dem Land keine berufliche Perspektive finden, wandert ein gewisser Teil von ihnen in Städte ab. Um dem entgegen zu wirken, finden sich mittlerweile Initiativen und politische Unterstützungen.

Das durch das Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend geförderte Projekt „Selbst ist die Frau“ soll der Förderung von Frauen auf dem Land dienen. Initiiert von dem Verband deutscher LandFrauen werden ihnen Möglichkeiten der Existenzgründung aufgezeigt. Informationen und Unterstützung werden durch zehn sogenannte Gründungslotsinnen vermittelt. Sie stammen aus unterschiedlichen Landesverbänden und bieten Workshops an. Auch für die individuelle Beratung von gründungsinteressierten Frauen stehen sie zur Verfügung und vermitteln sie an geeignete Beratungsstellen weiter.

Frauen vom Land werden durch das Projekt mit der Möglichkeit einer Selbstständigkeit in Kontakt gebracht werden und von den Vorteilen einer Altersvorsorge, individuellen Arbeitszeiten und der Gleichstellung im Gehalt informiert. Es soll Frauen im ländlichen Raum dazu ermutigen, entgegen traditioneller Rollenerwartungen ein eigenes Agrar-Business zu gründen. Neben dem oben genannten werden durch andere Initiativen und Bundesländer weitere Projekte und Unterstützung in finanziellen und wissensvermittelnden Formen angeboten. https://mlr.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/unsere-themen/laendlicher-raum/foe….

In recent years, crowdfunding is being used more frequently to collect money for project/business ideas, sometimes in agriculture. It can be used a source of finance for, land purchase/rent, construction of stables, facilities (slaughterhouses, cheese dairies, …) or measures such as the planting of pollinator-friendly fields. Crowdfunding aims to get access to financial resources outside mainstream bank loans; the money is sourced from many people (crowd). Four different forms of crowdfunding are possible. On the one hand there is the possibility to raise donations. This financial support provides no return for the donor. In another form, the supporters of the projects receive various "thank you" gifts from the entrepreneurs, depending on the amount. In the third form, the supporters receive shares of the company in return. The fourth form is like a bank loan, but the money is coming from many people and has to be paid back including a defined interest rate.

In the field of agriculture, it is mainly used to launch or develop Alternative Food Networks, often types of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).. A successful example is the CSA Luzernenhof (https://www.opencrowdinvest.org/). Crowdfunding can collect capital for the entire value chain from production, to processing and marketing, to after sales. Crowdfunding and community-based agriculture and food systems are nicely presented here: https://www.crowdfunding.de/magazin/crowdfunding-und-landwirtschaft-ein….

Recommendations

- Consider Crowdfunding as a possible source of finance;

- Raise your idea properly with a well-designed and attention-grabbing website or via a crowdfunding platform;

- Decide on one of the four major types of crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding wird seit einigen Jahren immer häufiger genutzt, um eine Projekt- oder Geschäftsidee zu finanzieren, auch in der Landwirtschaft. So können Landerwerb/-pacht, Stallbauten, Einrichtungen wie z.B. Metzgereien, Käsereien oder das Anlegen von Bienenweiden alternativ finanziert werden. Die Kreativität ist hierbei unbegrenzt. Über Crowdfunding wird versucht, abseits klassischer Bankdarlehen, von vielen Personen (crowd) Geld zu sammeln. Beim Crowdfunding ist zwischen vier Formen zu unterscheiden: Zum einen gibt es die Möglichkeit, Spenden ohne Gegenleistungen einzuwerben. Bei einer weiteren Form erhalten die Unterstützer der Projekte, je nach Summe, verschiedene „Dankeschöns“ von den Unternehmern. In der dritten Form erhalten die Unterstützer als Gegenzug Anteile des Unternehmens. Ähnlich eines Bankdarlehens sammelt die vierte Form Geld von Unterstützern, welches dann inklusive Zinsen zurückgezahlt werden muss.

In der Landwirtschaft wird Crowdfunding bisher überwiegend im Bereich solidarische Landwirtschaft (siehe Luzernenhof, https://www.opencrowdinvest.org/) oder die Finanzierung von Blühflächen. Weitere Informationen hält Mona Knorr bereit: sie ist Beraterin für Crowdfunding und führt einen Blog zu diesem Thema sowie über community-basiertes Wirtschaften in Landwirtschaft und Ernährungssystemen (https://www.crowdfunding.de/magazin/crowdfunding-und-landwirtschaft-ein…).

Empfehlungen:

- Crowdfunding – eine echte Finanzierungsalternative;

- Stellen Sie Ihr Projekt in interessanter und ansprechender Art und Weise dar: entweder auf Ihrer Homepage oder auf einer der Crowdfunding-Plattform;

- Entscheiden Sie zwischen den vier Typen des Crowdfunding.

The impact of social media on purchasing decisions continues to grow. Social networks are used by the majority of people and it is not only the younger generation that are part of it. Sixty five percent of those aged over 65 years use social media. New target groups can be reached not only to advertise a direct sale offer, but also to inform them about farming in general. The dialogue between producers and customers becomes easier, a greater number of recipients can be reached, and customer satisfaction levels can be increased.

Examples of social media platforms that are chosen are Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and blogs. Using these platforms, daily farm pictures or videos, information about events, product placements and links to online shops can be shared.

Social media can play a crucial role for new entrants when developing direct sales, , to advertise the new offer and to spread the word (e. g. https://www.facebook.com/Franken-Genuss-485862114854544).

Recommendations:

• By linking one's own page to various channels or to the social media pages of particularly popular users (influencers), the reach can be further increased;

• Interest can be enhanced through interaction; e. g. by involving customers in votes (e.g. "What should the newly born calf be called?") and asking customers directly (e.g. "Which products should we launch in the farm shop in the new year?");

• It is generally recommended to put something new online at least once a week (preferably more frequently).

Apart from the advantages social media offers for direct marketers, it must be taken into account that the time required for creation and maintenance should not be underestimated.

Der Einfluss von Social Media auf Kaufentscheidungen steigt an. Soziale Netzwerke werden mittlerweile von einem Großteil der Bevölkerung genutzt. Und dabei beteiligt sich nicht nur die junge Generation; bereits 65% der über 65-jährigen nutz ebenfalls soziale Netzwerke. Hieraus ergeben sich die Vorteile von sozialen Medien für die Direktvermarktung: Neue Zielgruppen können angesprochen und Imagearbeit geleistet werden. Der Dialog zwischen Kunden und Produzenten wird vereinfacht, eine größere Zahl an Adressaten erreicht und die Kundenzufriedenheit kann gesteigert werden.

Beispiele sind Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat und Blogs. So können aktuelle Bilder, Informationen über Veranstaltungen, Produktplatzierungen und Verknüpfungen mit Onlineshops geteilt werden.

Insbesondere bei neu entwickelten Direktvermarktungen von Neueinsteigern können Social Media eine entscheidende Rolle spielen. (z. B. https://www.facebook.com/Franken-Genuss-485862114854544)

Empfehlungen:

- Durch das Verlinken der eigenen Seite auf verschiedenen Kanälen oder auf den Social Media-Seiten besonders beliebter Nutzer (sog. Influencer) kann die Reichweite zusätzlich erhöht werden.

- Das Interesse kann durch Interaktionen erhöht werden: Kundenabstimmungen (z.B. „Wie soll das neu geborene Kalb heißen?“) oder Abfragen von Kundenwünschen (z.B. „Welche Produkte sollen wir im neuen Jahr im Hofladen einführen?“).

- Es wird empfohlen mindestens einmal pro Woche (eher häufiger, abhängig von der Plattform) etwas Neues online zu stellen.

Neben den Vorteilen, welche Social Media für Direktvermarkter bieten, muss allerdings berücksichtigt werden, dass der Zeitaufwand der Erstellung und Pflege nicht zu unterschätzen sind.

1. Create the right atmosphere for on-farm shopping.

The whole ambience should invite people to spend time on the premesis, e.g. through a sitting area or a dedicated playground for children.

2. Right choice of location

The shop should be clearly visible in the courtyard itself. In addition, farmers should pay attention to ensure certain distances to stables and manure storage places.

3. Large selection

To extend the offer through a producer association or regional purchase externally is a good model to enrich the diversity of products. If customers have to visit many different farm shops to buy all their products, they will opt in the long run for a large assortment farm shop or will no longer buy directly on farms.

4. Design of the salesroom

The structure of the shop should be designed in such a way that customers inevitably have to pass through all product groups. Products that are bought particularly frequently should be positioned in the back of the shop.

5. How to reach the shop

If the farm shop is not located directly adjacent to frequent streets, brochures and/or signs should inform about the offer and be positioned clearly visible at main roads or in residential areas to attract people.

6. Public relations and advertising

New customers can be recruited with special invitations. Adverts should be published in the form of banners, posters and flyers in order to attract as many people to the farm as possible.

7. Positive news in the press

Journalists/editors are often interested in farm reports, especially when readers can go there, like on-farm shops. Visual support, especially, pictures, can play a key role to attract people to come.

A nice example is Buchholzhof in Mülheim/Ruhr: https://buchholzhof.com/hofladen/.

1. Schaffen Sie eine angenehme Atmosphäre für den Einkauf: Das gesamte Umfeld sollte zum Verweilen einladen z.B. durch eine Sitzecke mit Infos über den Betrieb oder einen Spielbereich für Kinder.

2. Richtige Wahl des Standorts: Auf dem Hof selbst sollte der Laden gut sichtbar liegen. Darüber hinaus sollte man darauf achten, dass Abstand zu Stallungen und Lagerplätzen eingehalten wird.

3. Große Auswahl – am besten aus eigener Produktion: Das Angebot extern zu erweitern, ist eine Möglichkeit der Angebotserweiterung. Wenn Kunden verschiedene Hofläden anfahren müssen, um ihrer Nachfrage gerecht zu werden, werden sich diese langfristig für einen Hofladen mit großem Sortiment entscheiden oder nicht mehr direkt beim Landwirt einkaufen.

4. Gestaltung des Verkaufsraumes: Der Aufbau des Ladens sollte so gestaltet sein, dass Kunden alle Produktgruppen zwangsläufig passieren müssen. Produkte, die besonders häufig gekauft werden, sollten im hinteren Teil des Ladens platziert werden.

5. Anfahrt angenehm gestalten: Ist der Hofladen nicht direkt an der Straße gelegen, sollten Prospekte und/oder Schilder über das Angebot informieren und gut sichtbar positioniert werden.

6. Öffentlichkeitsarbeit und Werbung für den Hof: Mit einer Einladungen können neue Kunden geworben werden. Veranstaltungen sollten in Form von Bannern, Plakaten und Handzetteln bekannt gemacht werden.

7. Gute Presse für den Hof: Redakteure sind häufig sehr interessiert an Berichten über landwirtschaftlichen Betriebe und Direktvermarkter. Bei Veröffentlichungen sind aussagekräftige Fotos wichtig.

Schönes Beispiel: Buchholzhof in Mülheim/Ruhr https://buchholzhof.com/hofladen/.

A sheep farm “Schäferei Stücke“ from North-Western Germany, is the 1st German Newbie Award winners. They sell meat and sausage products as well as wool and sheep milk products through their on-farm shop, farmer markets, and other special events. However, the special feature of their farm and marketing is that they fully utilize the sheep; also unattractive parts such as the belly wool are still used for flower cups. Furthermore, they organise on-farm festivals and offer sheep and lamb meat cooking courses together with a chef. In addition, they also maintain the landscape with their sheep by grazing in nature and landscape conservation areas. The first very small-scale and hobby entry into sheep keeping took place back in the 1990s with only three sheep. The couple took over an abandoned farm property in 2014, which was from today’s perspective a milestone in their farm development. The location has turned out to be ideal for the farm, their marketing, and additional events. Their next goal is to switch from part-time to full-time farming.

New entrants into farming can learn from this inspiring example (https://www.schaeferei-stuecke.de/)

- Differentiation in marketing (on-farm shop, farmer markets) and diversification (on-farm events, cooking courses, landscape maintenance) can compliment each other.

- New entrants can enter the market especially when having an USP and filling a gap by offering something special for the region.

- New entrnats need to be open-minded, regionally bound, and socially accepted and supported. As a new entrant into farming you need to approach the consumers openly and take on board their wishes and demands. When satisfying some consumers new entrants can reach a wider network via positive word-to-mouth promotion.

Michael Stücke und Jochen Klinge, Schafhalter aus Ostwestfalen, sind die ersten deutschen Newbie-Preisträger. Sie verkaufen Fleisch- und Wurstwaren sowie Wolle und Schafmilcherzeugnisse über ihren Hofladen, Bauernmärkte und weitere Veranstaltungen. Das Besondere an ihrem Vermarktungskonzept ist jedoch, dass sie die Schafe voll ausnutzen; auch eher unattraktive Teile wie die Bauchwolle (Verwendung in Blumenbechern) genutzt. Darüber hinaus organisieren sie Events auf dem Bauernhof und bieten zusammen mit einem Koch Kurse für Schaf- und Lammfleisch an. Des Weiteren pflegen sie Natur- und Landschaftsschutzgebiete. Der erste Hobby-Einstieg in die Schafhaltung erfolgte bereits in den 90er Jahren mit nur drei Schafen. Das Paar übernahm 2014 einen alten ungenutzten Bauernhof. Dies war aus heutiger Sicht ein Meilenstein in der Entwicklung. Der Standort hat sich als sehr geeignet für die Vermarktung und Veranstaltungen erwiesen. Ihr nächstes großes Ziel ist die Umstellung vom Neben- in den Vollerwerb.

Neueinsteiger können von diesem inspirierenden Beispiel lernen:

- Differenzierung in der Vermarktung (Hofladen, Bauernmärkte) und Diversifizierung (Hof-Events, Kochkurse, Landschaftspflege) können zusammenpassen und sich insgesamt lohnen;

- Neueinsteiger können insbesondere über Alleinstellungsmerkmale in den umkämpften Markt eintreten, wenn sie etwas Besonderes für die Region anbieten;

- Es ist von großem Vorteil, wenn man aufgeschlossen ist, regional verbunden und akzeptiert/unterstützt wird. Als Neueinsteiger müssen Sie offen auf die Verbraucher zugehen und deren Wünsche und Forderungen aufnehmen. Anschließend kann die Mund-zu-Mund-Propaganda zufriedener Kunden dazu führen, mehr Kunden zu erreichen.

Online shopping is the new way to buy products and food. It can be a suitable entry route into short supply chains for new entrants; especially when they (1) do not have the appropriate direct contact to nearby customers, (2) do not want to have customers on-farm, (3) are not willing/able to establish more expensive direct sale arrangements (on-farm shops, …), and (4) are excluded from other direct sale options due to their location or other factors.

Online marketing allows producers to offer products not only locally, but to many potential consumers elsewhere. Since the personal contact is omitted, advertisement plays a crucial role. An attractive online shop should consist of a smart start page to create attention and centrally a very visible offering of products, with an easy buying procedure, accompanied by supporting pages (inspiring farm portrait, contacts, news, …). The farm location itself is no longer playing a role with web-based marketing, being of utmost importance for on-farm sales or other on-farm offers. However, it enters a much larger competitive market. In order to be successful, the farm must put its USP in the foreground. Creativity and professionalism are essential for success. The connection with the customer can be developed online, especially in rural and less populated regions. In addition to production, processing, storage and transport, marketing, technical know-how and customer care become central tasks of online sales.

Recommendations

- Online marketing is a suitable entry into short supply chains

- Evaluation of competitors

- High quality online presentation

- External support (public/private advisors)

- Reliability (short time span between online purchase and delivery, after sales communication, etc.)

Heute werden viele Produkte online verkauft, zunehmend auch Lebensmittel. Online-Vermarktung kann auch für Neueinsteiger ein geeigneter Weg in kurze Wertschöpfungsketten sein; insbesondere, wenn sie (1) nicht über den entsprechenden persönlichen/direkten Kontakt zu Kunden in der Nähe verfügen, (2) keine Kunden auf dem Hof haben wollen, (3) nicht bereit oder nicht in der Lage sind, kostenintensivere Vermarktungswege (Hofladen, ...) aufzubauen und (4) aufgrund ihrer Lage oder anderer Gründe von anderen Direktverkaufsmöglichkeiten ausgeschlossen sind.

Online-Verkauf schafft Möglichkeiten, Produkte nicht nur vor Ort anzubieten und damit weitere potenzielle Konsumenten zu erreichen. Das Auftreten spielt eine entscheidende Rolle: Ein attraktiver Online-Shop sollte aus einer Startseite (Aufmerksamkeit erzeugen), einem gut sichtbaren und einfachen Angebots- und Kaufbereich, sowie weiteren unterstützenden Seiten (Hofporträt, Kontakte, …) bestehen. Der Standort spielt keine Rolle mehr, anders als wenn Kunden auf den Hof kommen (Hofladen, Diversifizierung). Man tritt aber auch in einen viel größeren Wettbewerb ein. Um erfolgreich zu sein, muss der Betrieb seine Alleinstellungsmerkmale in den Vordergrund stellen; Kreativität und Professionalität sind entscheidend. Vor allem in eher ländlichen und dünn besiedelten Regionen kann die Brücke zum Kunden online geschaffen werden. Neben der Produktion werden Verarbeitung, Lagerung und Transport, Marketing, technisches Know-how und Kundenbetreuung zu zentralen online-Aufgaben.

Empfehlungen:

- geeigneter Weg in kurze Wertschöpfungsketten

- Überblick über Wettbewerber

- Erstellen Sie eine hochwertige Webseite

- Externe Unterstützung

- Zuverlässigkeit.

The FH Südwestfalen and Bund der Deutschen Landjugend have launched a media partnership with the newly established online and print magazine “f3 - farm.food.future” (https://f3.de/). The magazine, which belongs to the publisher Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH, presents inspiring business cases from a wide range of agricultural activities, i.e. product niches (insects, fungi, aquaponics, ...), market niches (online, home delivery, producer-consumer-communities, ...), smart farming, etc. The magazine is targeted towards a younger audience interested in green innovation and entrepreneurship. Social demands and trends in agriculture have led to social innovations, new approaches and stronger emphasis on sustainability and resilience. Tracking articles and events of f3 provides several access opportunities for new entrants into farming: knowledge, contacts and networks, from which access to other key resources like markets, land, and financial capital can be created. Events of high relevance include start-up workshops and evening events, which are addressing key hurdles for newbies by giving the floor to prime examples of success stories, but also by inviting experts.

So far f3 is available only in German language, but it is planned to also offer reports in the English language soon.

Recommendations:

• The lively exchange between and with newbies and career changers, whether through the magazine or at the events mentioned above, sets the ground for generating ideas and thinking outside the box;

• New opportunities to acquire additional knowledge from specialists and experienced people of the start-up scene in all their facets.

This promotes the generation of new business ideas for new entrants entering farming.

Die deutschen Newbie-Partner FH Südwestfalen und Bund der Deutschen Landjugend haben eine Medienpartnerschaft mit dem neu gegründeten Online- und Printmagazin "f3 - farm.food.future" (https://f3.de/) geschlossen. Das Magazin (Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH, Münster) präsentiert inspirierende Business Cases aus unterschiedlichen landwirtschaftlichen Bereichen. Dazu gehören unter anderem Produkt- (Insekten, Pilze, Aquaponik, ...), und Marktnischen (Online-Marketing, Liefer- und Abosysteme, ...), Smart Farming, etc. Das Magazin richtet sich an ein überwiegend junges Publikum, das sich für grünes und innovatives Unternehmertum interessiert. Gesellschaftliche Anforderungen und Trends führen in der Landwirtschaft zu sozialen Innovationen, neuen Ansätzen und stärkerer Betonung von Nachhaltigkeit. Über die Artikel und Veranstaltungen bieten sich für Neueinsteiger Möglichkeiten des Zugangs zu Wissen, Kontakten und Netzwerken, aus denen der Zugang zu anderen wichtigen Ressourcen wie Märkten, Land und Finanzkapital geschaffen werden kann. Von hoher Relevanz sind Start-up-Workshops und sogenannte "Scheunengespräche". Bisher ist f3 nur in deutscher Sprache verfügbar, aber es ist geplant, in Kürze auch Berichte in englischer Sprache anzubieten.

Empfehlungen:

- Der rege Austausch zwischen und mit Newbies, sei es über das Magazin oder bei den oben genannten Veranstaltungen, bereitet den Nährboden für Ideen und befeuert das Denken über den Tellerrand hinaus.

- Dies bietet die Möglichkeit, zusätzliches Wissen von Spezialisten und erfahrenen Leute aus der Gründerszene in all ihren Facetten zu erwerben.

Dadurch werden eigene Geschäftsideen von Neueinsteigern in die Landwirtschaft eingebracht.

As Catarina and Carlos discovered on “Herdade do Freixo-do-Meio” right from the outset, those who want to start a new agricultural production encounter a series of obstacles, the first being access to land. Once they had secured a plot of land through “comodato” (an agreement between a land owner and a land user), they discovered the next barrier: poor soil quality with a strong lack of organic matter, and water scarcity. Carlos’ applied efforts and Catarina’s academic training as agronomist with a special interest on soils, were a precious advantage. These combined well with their perseverance and enabled them to find and implement specific techniques for soil recovery and water retention.

The use of the Keyline technique, together with permaculture procedures, led to very significant results in a few years. These results inspiring other farmers to seek to acquire, learn and implement these techniques on their own land. For poor soils in a context with a lack of water, the use of the Keyline technique allows water to be retained longer in the soil and helps preventing erosion.

The amount of time and resources spent learning how to solve a problem has turned this problem into an opportunity for training and consulting services, setting an example for other producers and helping others to benefit from the results of applying these techniques.

Recommendations

- Search for solutions tested and validated elsewhere, at national and international level, which can be applied and / or adapted to the problem encountered;

- In the specific case of soils, persist in investing in soil improvement, even if short term results are inconclusive;

- Aim for the acquisition of knowledge and new specific skills, by yourself, which can become an opportunity.

Tal como a Catarina e o Carlos descobriram desde o início, quem pretende iniciar-se na agricultura encontra uma série de obstáculos, sendo o primeiro o acesso à terra. Depois de garantirem terra na “Herdade do Freixo-do-Meio”, por meio do “comodato” (um acordo entre um proprietário e um usuário da terra), depararam-se com a barreira seguinte: baixa qualidade do solo, com falta de matéria orgânica e escassez de água.

Os esforços aplicados do Carlos e a formação académica da Catarina, como agrónoma com um interesse especial em solos, foram uma vantagem. Estas características, combinadas com a sua perseverança, permitiram-lhes encontrar e implementar técnicas específicas para recuperação do solo.

O uso da técnica Keyline, juntamente com procedimentos de permacultura, levou a resultados muito significativos em alguns anos. Esses resultados inspiraram outros agricultores a procurar adquirir, aprender e implementar essas técnicas nas suas próprias terras. Para solos pobres num contexto de falta de água, o uso da técnica Keyline permite que a água seja retida por mais tempo no solo e ajude a prevenir a erosão. Todo o tempo e recursos gastos a aprender a solucionar o seu problema transformou esse problema numa oportunidade: serviços de formação e de consultoria, dando o exemplo a outros produtores e ajudando-os a beneficiarem dos resultados da aplicação destas técnicas.

Recomendações

- Procurar soluções a nível nacional e internacional, que possam ser aplicadas e/ou adaptadas ao problema encontrado;

- No caso específico dos solos, persistência no investimento na melhoria dos solos, mesmo que os resultados nãos sejam imediatos;

- Apostar na aquisição de conhecimentos e novas competências específicas pode tornar-se numa oportunidade.

When João Rosado inherited the olive farm close to Évora, he realised that the inheritance of their farmland brought with it a whole story, experienced along several generations. The market value of this kind of story is often ignored; however, he understood that the story behind the product may be the emotive key that can bring added value to that product.

Maintaining crops such as traditional olive groves often entails high costs of production, hardly competitive in a globalized market. These high costs are incompatible with the market value of products considered mainstream or commodities. Adding value to such products, granting their outstanding quality, can be a solution to support the high production costs.

The centenary trees in “Monte da Oliveira Velha” farm are of endogenous varieties and olives from these trees have a specific quality but their yield and production costs cannot be compared with those of more productive varieties, often produced with optimized irrigation systems and automated harvesting.

On the other hand, tourists are increasingly interested in the story behind the products of the places they visit, where and how they were produced, the production methods, etc. Tourists also search for unique and new sensory and taste experiences. Combining product promotion with its history, culture and traditional practices adds a complementary activity that not only provides supplementary income but may also increase market recognition and overall sales.

Recommendations

• Identify what is the specific story of your family farm;

• Create and bet on a good brand image;

• Bet on product quality and not quantity;

• Combine production with tourism activity;

• Associate the product with the history of the land.

Quando João Rosado herdou o olival perto de Évora, ele percebeu que a herança desta terra trazia consigo toda uma história, vivida por várias gerações. O valor de mercado dessa história geralmente não é reconhecido, no entanto a história que está por detrás do produto pode ser o factor emotivo que pode dar o acréscimo de valor que o produto precisa.

A manutenção de culturas como o olival tradicional está frequentemente relacionada a altos custos de produção, pouco competitivos num mercado global. Estes elevados custos não são compatíveis com um valor de mercado que considera o produto como convencional. Acrescentar valor a estes produtos pode ser a solução para suportar os altos custos de produção.

As árvores centenárias do “Monte da Oliveira Velha” são de variedades endógenas e as azeitonas dessas árvores têm uma qualidade específica, mas os custos de produção não podem ser comparados com os de variedades mais produtivas, geralmente com sistemas de irrigação otimizados e colheita automatizada.

No entanto, os turistas estão cada vez mais interessados na história por trás do produto local e regional, nos locais que visitam, onde e como foi produzido, nos métodos de produção, etc. Os turistas também procuram por novas experiências sensoriais e gustativas únicas. Combinar a promoção do produto com a promoção de sua história, cultura e práticas tradicionais resulta num produto complementar que fornece um rendimento extra mas pode também aumentar o seu reconhecimento no mercado.

Recomendações

• Identifique qual é a história específica da sua exploração familiar;

• Crie e aposte numa boa imagem de marca

• Aposte na qualidade do produto e não na quantidade

• Combine a produção à actividade turística

• Associe o produto à história da terra.

New entrants to farming often start on small farms. Producing for the market, at a small scale, require that these producers look for innovative ways to add value to their products, and alternative ways to enter the market. For such kind of production scale, selling through short supply chains usually proves to be a viable option.

The Km0 label is an innovative opportunity to keep or revitalize small scale and diversified agriculture in every region. It qualifies a product that is consumed, fresh or processed, near its production site and is consumed in the season it is produced.

Creating a value chain network of operators promotes an innovative way of entering the market, enabling the direct supply of products (by producers and processors), as well as disseminating information on where to look for this type of products (shops and restaurants).

The promotion of Km0 food is an initiative replicable in any region. It makes possible to highlight the particular characteristics of the region, relative to gastronomy, traditions and fruit and vegetable varieties. Thus, is also a tool for tourism and for increasing attractiveness of the region, as it also linked intangible heritage values and the growing societal concerns about food quality and food autonomy.

Practical recommendations

- As producer, processor, shop or restaurant, use the certification to garantee the confidence of the consummer and keep the trust;

- Add value to the products with the Km0 label;

- As a consumer, look for products with Km0 label and motivate others to do so;

- Certification compulsoty for all operators in the value chain who want to use the label, and identification of each one in the web page map (http://www.km0alentejo.pt/).

Os novos empresários agrícolas geralmente começam em pequenas explorações. As pequenas unidades de produção exigem que os produtores encontrem formas inovadoras de acrescentar valor aos seus produtos e formas alternativas de entrada no mercado. O recurso a cadeias curtas é, usualmente, a alternativa mais viável a esta escala de produção.

O Km0 é uma oportunidade inovadora para manter ou revitalizar uma agricultura em pequena escala e diversificada. É um conceito que qualifica um produto que é consumido perto do local onde foi produzido, e que é consumido na época em que é produzido.

A criação de uma rede de contactos de operadores da cadeia de valor, permite uma forma inovadora de entrada no mercado, facilitando a oferta directa de produtos (de produtores e transformadores), bem como a disponibilização de informação sobre onde procurar este tipo de produtos (por parte de lojas e restauração).

O Km0 é uma iniciativa replicável em qualquer região. Possibilita realçar as características particulares da região, relativamente à gastronomia, tradições e hortofrutícolas. É ainda uma ferramenta, em termos de turismo e de atractividade à região, como também liga valores patrimoniais intangíveis às crescentes preocupações sociais sobre qualidade e autonomia alimentar.

Recomendações práticas

- Como produtor, processador, loja ou restaurante, utilize a certificação para garantir a satisfação do consumidor e manter a sua confiança;

- Acrescente valor aos produtos com a marca Km0;

- Como consumidor, procure produtos com a marca Km0 e motive outros a fazer o mesmo;

- Certificação obrigatória para todos os operadores da cadeia de valor que desejem usar a marca, e sua identificação no mapa da página electrónica (http://www.km0alentejo.pt/).

As Susana and José discovered when they started their prickly pears orchard, finding adequate advisory services is one of the big challenges for new entrants in Portugal. Agricultural advisory services are scarce and provided by a very diverse set of private enterprises and associations, operating with practically no coordination by the State. They had to learn everything underway, by information digging and trial and error, about designing a farm and business model, actual business planning and product pricing, identifying funding sources, successful application procedures, banking constraints etc. The different and complex burocracy steps required for complying with the national rules do not make this starting process easier.

Once successfully through this intricate process, we can find new entrants who build on their experience and offer their acquired knowhow and competences in new types of advisory services dedicated specifically to new entrants in the agri-food activity. But still, independent, quality checked and well targeted advice is hard to find.

Recommendations

- check what kind of support the advisory company provides;

- check if the support is only bureaucratic or if is also technical and help in the preparation of the business model;

- in case you do not find adequate advisory service, find a group, association or other, if not locally, at regional or national level, where you can formulate your questions and can expect feedback.

Tal como a Susana e o José descobriram quando iniciaram o seu pomar de figos-da-índia, encontrar serviços de consultoria é um dos grandes desafios para os novos agricultores em Portugal. Os serviços de apoio agrícola são escassos e fornecidos por um conjunto muito diversificado de entidades do sector público, entidades privadas e associações, que funcionam sem praticamente nenhuma coordenação pelo Estado.

Eles tiveram que aprender tudo de forma autónoma, por pesquisa de informações e por tentativa e erro. As diferentes e complexas etapas burocráticas necessárias para o cumprimento das regras nacionais não facilitam este processo inicial.

Uma vez bem-sucedidos nesse processo complexo, podemos encontrar novos empresários agrícolas que aproveitam a sua experiência e oferecem o seu conhecimento e competências adquiridas em novos tipos de serviços de consultoria dedicados especificamente a novos empresários na atividade agroalimentar. Ainda assim, é difícil encontrar aconselhamento de qualidade comprovada e bem direcionado.

Recomendações práticas

- verificar o tipo de apoio que a empresa de consultoria oferece (no caso de submissão de candidaturas, se faz o acompanhamento após a aprovação ou apenas até à aprovação);

- verificar se o apoio é apenas burocrático ou se também providenciam apoio técnico e ajuda na elaboração do modelo de negócio;

- caso não encontre um serviço de consultoria adequado, procurar um grupo, associação ou outro, a nível local, regional ou nacional, onde poderá formular perguntas e esperar algumas respostas.

The farming incubation period is a stage in the process of progressively starting a farm business. It enables prospective farmers to develop their farm business autonomously in full scale, while providing a protected environment.

At the end of the trial period, the candidates evaluate their project and has to decide whether to continue, adjust or abandon their project.

The farming incubation period will allow candidate to experiment the technical and economical feasibility of his project, verify his ability to manage one or more agricultural productions and different ways of commercializing them, strengthen his know-how and skills, verifying the adequacy between his project, himself and the territory.

Farm incubators provide the conditions to realize a farming incubation period:

• a legal framework for the exercise of the a farming incubation period allowing the autonomy of the person;

• production resources (land, equipment, buildings, etc.);

• a multi-faceted support and monitoring system adapted to the needs of the future farmer. The support covers: human, technical, accounting and management support, marketing support, search for land, etc. It is based on the partners of the farm incubator as well as on farmers (mentoring).

In order to carry out its missions, the farm incubator is facilitated and coordinated in a logic of openness, territorial anchoring and partnership.

Le test d’activités agricoles s’inscrit dans un parcours d’installation progressive. Il définit le moyen pour une (ou des) personne(s) de développer des activités agricoles de manière responsable et autonome en grandeur réelle, sur une durée limitée, dans un cadre limitant et échelonnant la prise de risque.

L’objectif est d’évaluer le projet et soi-même dans le but de décider de la poursuite, de l’ajustement ou de l’abandon du projet.

Le test d’activités s’adresse à toute personne pour expérimenter la faisabilité technique et économique de leur projet, vérifier leur capacité à gérer une ou des productions agricoles et différentes manières de les commercialiser, conforter leurs savoir-faire et leurs compétences..

Les espaces-test agricoles mettent à disposition les conditions pour réaliser un test d’activité :

• un cadre légal d’exercice du test d’activités permettant l’autonomie de la personne ;

• des moyens de production (foncier, matériel, bâtiments…) ;

• un dispositif d’accompagnement et de suivi, multiforme, adapté aux besoins de la personne. L’accompagnement est multiple : accompagnement humain, appui technique sur la production, accompagnement à la comptabilité et à la gestion, appui à la commercialisation, recherche de foncier… Il s’appuie sur les partenaires de l’espace-test ainsi que sur des agriculteurs référents (tutorat).

Pour mener à bien ses missions, l’espace-test agricole est animé et coordonné dans une logique d’ouverture, d’ancrage territorial et de partenariat.

Located in the Loire Valley, the “Côte Roannaise” vineyard has about thirty independent winegrowers on about 200 ha.

The available land is scarce and planted with poor quality grape varieties to be uprooted and replanted. However, this represents a significant investment for the aspiring vine-growers, with no agricultural background. In addition, the first harvests can only be carried out from the third year of planting.

The “vigne-relais” consists of making a few productive hectares available to an aspiring vine-grower to start his activity and make wine from the first year. This support gives the project owner time to acquire land and plant new vines.

The local authority "Roannais Agglomeration" owns 3 ha of vines that it makes available temporarily to young farmers for a period of 3 to 5 years.

A commission (an elected official, a professional winegrower and a technician), select the candidates and support them. A set of specifications is established to ensure the conditions of vine growing and individual technical support is provided by the CA. Young farmers can benefit from the collective structures set up by the profession (sharing of equipment) and a mentoring program by professionals.

Since 2012, 5 young winegrowers have benefited from the scheme, four of whom have already set up in the sector.

Success factors

- The presence of a producers' association concerned about the future of its vineyard.

- Reactive local authorities.

- The mobilisation of local stakeholders.

Situé dans la vallée de la Loire, le vignoble de la Côte Roannaise compte une trentaine de vignerons indépendants sur environ 200 ha.

Les terres disponibles sont rares et plantées avec des cépages de mauvaise qualité à arracher et replanter. Or, cela représente un investissement important pour les porteurs de projet, la plupart du temps hors cadre familial.

La vigne-relais consiste à mettre à disposition d’un porteur de projet quelques hectares productifs pour démarrer son activité et réaliser une vinification dès la première année. Ce dispositif lui laisse le temps d’acquérir du foncier et planter de nouvelles vignes.

La Communauté d’Agglomération « Roannais Agglomération » est propriétaire de 3 ha de vignes qu’elle met à disposition temporairement à des jeunes agriculteurs sur une durée 3 à 5 ans.

Une commission assure la sélection et le suivi des candidats. Un cahier des charges est établi pour s’assurer des conditions de culture de la vigne et un appui technique individuel est assuré par la CA. Les jeunes agriculteurs peuvent bénéficier des structures collectives mises en place par la profession (partage de matériel) et d’un programme de tutorat pour les accompagner dans le démarrage.

Depuis 2012, 5 jeunes vignerons ont bénéficié du dispositif dont quatre se sont déjà installés sur le secteur.

Facteurs de réussite

 La présence d’une association de producteurs concernée par l’avenir de son vignoble.

 Des collectivités locales réactives.

 La mobilisation des acteurs locaux.

The acquisition of buildings and land represents a significant investment for aspiring farmers.

To facilitate access to the means of production and starting-up the farm, SAFER PACA (national land operator manager) and Coop de France (federation of agricultural cooperatives) have created "Terre Adonis".

Its purpose is to facilitate the start of farmers who are unable to simultaneously acquire land and make the necessary material investments.

Terre Adonis federates public and private partners around the project, in order to finance a land holding phase. It is aimed at local authorities and economic players as well as institutional investors and large groups.

As the owner of the land, “Terre Adonis” signs a long-term rural lease with the farmer and offers him the possibility of buying back the land at no extra cost over 7 to 15 years.

This approach limits debt while helping farmers get started., who can thus concentrate their first investments on their work tools and develop their activity in order to be able to buy back when the time comes.

Since 2020, two operations have been carried out:

- Installation of a couple of farmers in jasmine production, on a property of 1.5 ha with a house for a purchase cost of €660,000 and a duration planned for 7 years.

- Installation of a young farmer in viticulture with contribution to a cooperative cellar, on a 38 ha property including 9 PDO vines for a purchase cost of 705 000 € and a planned duration of 15 years.

L’acquisition des bâtiments et du foncier nécessaire à l’activité agricole représente un investissement conséquent pour les porteurs de projets agricoles.

Pour faciliter l’accès aux moyens de production et le démarrage progressive de l’activité, la SAFER PACA et Coop de France ont créé la structure coopérative d’intérêt collectif « Terre Adonis ».

Elle a pour vocation de faciliter l’installation (ou la consolidation) d’agriculteurs ne pouvant faire face simultanément à l’acquisition des terres et aux investissements matériels indispensables.

Terre Adonis fédère des partenaires publics et privés autour du projet que l’agriculteur souhaite entreprendre, afin de financer une phase de portage du foncier.

Propriétaire des terres, la SCIC signe un bail rural à long terme avec l’agriculteur et lui offre la possibilité de racheter le foncier sans coût supplémentaire sur 7 à 15 ans.

Cette démarche d’externalisation du financement permet de limiter l’endettement tout en contribuant à l’installation d’agriculteurs, qui peuvent ainsi concentrer leurs premiers investissements sur leur outil de travail et développer leur activité pour être en capacité de racheter le moment venu.

Depuis 2020, 2 opérations ont été réalisées :

 Installation d’un couple d’exploitants en production de jasmin, sur une propriété de 1,5 ha avec habitation pour un coût d’achat de 660 000 € et une durée de portage prévue pour 7 ans.

 Installation d’un jeune exploitant en viticulture avec apport en cave coopérative, sur un ensemble de 38 ha dont 9 de vignes AOP pour un coût d’achat de 705 000 € et une durée de portage prévue pour 15 ans.

Collective catering represents a significant outlet for producers. Beside, public policies set a minimum supply target for organic products.

However, small scale producers face barriers to access to this market: large volume, regularity, delivery...

To overcome these obstacles, ARDAB, the organic producer organisation of Rhône and Loire regions, created “Bio A Pro” platform.

How it works

BIO A PRO is a cooperative structure bringing together some forty organic farmers, as well as a few local processors.

The cooperative offers a wide range of products: seasonal fruit and vegetables, dairy products (yoghurts and farmhouse desserts, dried cheeses, etc.), meat, as well as pulses and cereals.

A logistics platform centralises local organic production (200m² warehouse based in Brignais): specialised in supplying collective catering (schools, companies, tourism, etc.).

Advantages

For the restaurants: they order a wide range of products and are delivered by pallet within the necessary timeframe. They receive a single invoice for all the products ordered and are guaranteed a direct and local source from the surrounding farms.

For the producers: this simplifies the management of sales. The products are collected from the farm or they deliver directly to the platform nearby the farm.

Strong points

- a tool managed by the farmers

- logistics organised on a local scale

La restauration collective représente un débouché conséquente pour les producteurs et les politiques publiques fixent un objectifs minimum d’approvisionnement en produits biologiques.

Cependant, pour les petits producteurs, l’accès à ce marché est difficile : volume important, régularité, livraison…

Pour lever les freins, l’ARDAB, l’association des producteurs en agriculture biologique du Rhône et la Loire, ont créé la plateforme Bio A Pro.

Le fonctionnement

BIO A PRO est une structure coopérative regroupant une quarantaine d’agriculteurs bio, mais aussi quelques transformateurs locaux.

La coopérative propose une large gamme : des fruits et légumes de saison, des produits laitiers (yaourts et crèmes dessert fermiers, fromages secs, …), de la viande, également des légumineuses et des céréales.

Une plateforme logistique centralise la production bio locale (entrepôt de 200m² basé à Brignais) : spécialisés dans l’approvisionnement des restaurants collectifs (scolaires, entreprise, tourisme,…).

Avantages

Pour les restaurants : ils commandent une large gamme de produits et sont livrés par palette dans les délais nécessaires. Ils reçoivent une seule facture pour tous les produits commandés. Ils ont la garantie d’un provenance directe et locale des fermes alentours.

Pour les producteurs : cela simplifie la gestion des ventes. Les produits sont récupérés sur la ferme ou ils livrent directement la plateforme

Points forts

- un outil géré par les agriculteurs

- une logistique organisée à l’échelle locale

Solidarity-based financing comes from citizens' savings that support projects in the social and solidarity economy, which take into account the human, social and environmental dimensions of projects.

Purpose of the funding: any economic project that is part of a social, environmental and territorial utility approach, job creation…

Advantages : can be used to complete a financing plan; leverage effect for other financing; support and monitoring of the future farmers.

Constraints : need time to communicate about the project and to collect savings; significant cost when funding is linked to rewards (gifts).

Different structures can be involved:

Needs < 15 000 €: the Clubs CIGALES are groups of 5 to 20 citizens who pool their savings to support people with projects in their area. The investment takes the form of venture capital. It is accompanied by a sponsorship for 5 years in order to strengthen the sustainability of the supported companies.

From 2 000 to 1 000 000 €: BlueBees offers projects of entrepreneurs in the start-up phase who have little or no access to bank credit, or for whom borrowing is too risky. In exchange for their donations, individuals receive rewards (bottle of wine, experience on the farm…).

From 5 000 to 4 000 000 €: thanks to the mobilisation of citizens' savings targeted on projects with a high social and environmental value, the Foncière Terre de Liens acquires land (and buildings) which it rents to farmers committed to local, human-scale, organic farming.

Les financements solidaires font appel à l’épargne citoyenne pour soutenir des projets de l’ESS, qui ont une dimension humaine, sociale et environnementale.

Objet : tout projet économique s’inscrivant dans une démarche d’utilité sociale, environnementale et territoriale, de création d’emploi…

Avantages : compléter un plan de financement ; effet levier pour d’autres financements ; accompagnement et suivi des porteurs de projet.

Contraintes : besoin de temps pour communiquer sur le projet et collecter l’épargne ; coût non négligeable quand il y a des contreparties.

Différentes structures peuvent intervenir :

Besoins < 15 000 € : les Clubs CIGALES regroupent 5 à 20 citoyens qui mettent en commun leur épargne pour soutenir des porteurs de projet sur leur territoire. L’investissement prend la forme de capital risque et s’accompagne d’un parrainage afin de renforcer la pérennité des entreprises soutenues.

De 2 000 à 1 000 000 € : BlueBees soutient des projets en phase d'amorçage qui n'ont pas ou peu accès au crédit bancaire, ou pour lesquels le recours à l'emprunt est trop risqué. En échange de leurs dons, les particuliers reçoivent des contreparties (bouteille de vin, expérience à la ferme…).

De 5 000 à 4 000 000 € : l’épargne citoyenne ciblée sur des projets à haute valeur sociale et environnementale permet à la foncière Terre de Liens d’acquérir des terres qu’elle confie en location à des fermiers engagés dans une agriculture de proximité, à taille humaine et biologique.

One of the main barriers to the establishment of aspiring farmers with no agricultural background is access to land.

To facilitate the creation of farms in its territory, the inter-municipalities "Vichy Communauté" (Allier) has carried out a land monitoring action in order to detect vacant or available plots of land in the years to come.

For one year, a project manager surveyed the municipalities and met with the owners in order to establish a precise map of available plots.

This census made it possible to identify plots of land available to host entrepreneurs within a Farm Incubator run by Îlots Paysans. The owner makes his plot available free of charge for the duration of the incubation period. If the incubation is successful, the entrepreneur can stay on the site and sign a lease with the owner. If the entrepreneur does not wish to stay, the owner recovers his land and can make it available to another aspiring farmer.

Practical recommendations

- Land monitoring requires a lot of facilitation time: relationships of trust must be established;

- the facilitator has created relationships of trust with the local elected officials who act as mediators and put the owners in touch with each other;

- with this tool, the community masters the knowledge of its territory;

- the business test is a complementary tool that facilitates the provision of land by creating a bond of trust between the owner and the entrepreneur.

Une des principales difficultés pour les porteurs de projets agricoles non issus du milieu agricole est d’accéder au foncier.

Pour faciliter la création de fermes dans son territoire, la Communauté d’Agglomération « Vichy Communautés » (Allier) a mené une action de veille foncière afin de détecter les parcelles vacantes ou disponibles dans les années à venir.

Pendant 1 an, une chargée de mission a enquêté auprès des communes et rencontré des propriétaires pour établir une cartographie précise des parcelles mobilisables.

Ce recensement a permis de repérer des parcelles disponibles pour accueillir des entrepreneurs dans le cadre de l’Espace-Test Agricole animé par Îlots Paysans. Le propriétaire met à disposition gratuitement sa parcelle pendant la durée du test. Si le test est concluant, l’entrepreneur pourra rester sur le lieu et signer un bail avec le propriétaire. Si l’entrepreneur ne souhaite pas rester, le propriétaire récupère son terrain et pourra le mettre à disposition d’un autre porteur de projet si il le souhaite.

Recommandations pratiques

- la veille foncière nécessite beaucoup de temps d’animation : il faut établir des relations de confiance;

- l’animatrice a créé des relations de confiance avec les élus communaux qui assurent un rôle de médiation et de mise en relation avec les propriétaires;

- avec cet outil, la collectivité maîtrise la connaissance de son territoire;

- le test d’activité est un outil complémentaire qui permet de faciliter la mise à disposition du foncier en créant un lien de confiance entre le propriétaire et l’entrepreneur.

In France, a Business Project Support Contract (CAPE) was created by the Law No. 2003-721 of August 1, 2003 for economic initiative. It was set up to facilitate the professional transition to entrepreneurship, creation or takeover of businesses. It is a support system that allows a person to test a self-employed activity without creating a legal structure.

Indeed, an entity (association, business incubator, activity cooperative ...) legally carries the activity of the person so that he can test his it in real life.

More specifically, the CAPE contract is signed between a project leader and an incubator, which lend him his Business Reference Number- thus offering legal hosting and supporting him in his testing period before any legal registration. This CAPE can last from 6 months to 1 year, with the possibility of being renewed within a limit of 36 months of testing.

Main result/outcomes:

- Secure farm starting

- Train future farmers by experiencing the work

Practical recommendations:

Despite the diversity of national legal contexts, advisory services or policy makers can find different options to secure a testing period for future farmers to :

– Live the daily life of a business manager and adjust the project

– Receive individual and collective advices : workshops, interviews, training etc.

– Network with other people testing their business

– Ensure an accounting and administrative support

More informations: https://jetestemonentreprise.com/

Un Contrat d’Appui au Projet d’Entreprise pour la création ou la reprise d’activité économique est formalisé par la loi n°2003-721 du 1er août 2003 pour l’initiative économique. Mis en place pour faciliter la transition professionnelle vers l'entrepreneuriat, c’est un dispositif d’accompagnement qui permet à une personne de tester l’exercice d’une activité indépendante sans pour autant créer de structure juridique.

Plus concrètement, le contrat CAPE est signé entre un·e porteur·euse de projet et une structure qui s’engage à lui prêter son numéro SIRET – offrant ainsi un hébergement juridique et rendant légal son activité économique, et à l’accompagner dans son test avant toute immatriculation.

Ce CAPE peut durer de 6 mois à 1 an, avec une possibilité d'être renouvelé dans une limite de 36 mois de test.

Résultats attendus:

- Sécuriser le début d’une activité

- Former de futurs agriculteurs par une mise en situation concrète

Recommandations:

Malgré la diversité des contextes juridiques nationaux, des associations ou collectivités publiques peuvent trouver différentes façons de sécuriser une période de test pour que de futurs agriculteurs puissent :

– Vivre au quotidien comme responsable d’activité et ajuster le projet

– Bénéficier d’un accompagnement individuel et collectif : ateliers, entretiens, formations…

– Être en réseau avec d’autres professionnels

– Recevoir un appui comptable et administratif

https://jetestemonentreprise.com/

By bringing together producers, processors, distributors, local authorities and consumers and by developing agriculture in the (local) territories and the food quality, they respond to the objective of structuring and operationalizing a localized territorial food system.

Their aim is to promote the principles of food sovereignty in local food policies, which explains why they have become the privileged operational framework for local authorities involved in food policies.

Each PAT is elaborated in a participative way between all the actors of a territory : it is set up on the initiative of the State and its public institutions, local authorities, associations, environmental interest groups, farmers and other stakeholders. It is based on the realization of a shared diagnosis and contributes to the consolidation of food sectors and the development of the consumption of products distributed in short circuits, particularly organic products.

The PAT is seen as a tool to achieve food sovereignty through place-based food initiatives. The state does not consider that a single food-related initiative, e.g. urban agriculture, is sufficient or necessary to achieve an innovative and alternative food policy. Therefore, when a local entity proposes a PAT, it must include a variety of food-related issues in order to be accepted for funding and to be granted the PAT label.

PATs are the result of Article 39 of the 2014 Law on the Future of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (LAAF) and aim to relocate agriculture at a local level.

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Set up by the Regional Council of Occitania, the CEFI allows a project leader wishing to set up without agricultural background to carry out a 12-month internship with a farmer looking for a partner or a buyer. It is thus adapted to projects where people want to integrate an existing project, which allows the trainee to be accompanied by the host farmer who gives him or her the benefit of his or her experience while ensuring the competence of the potential buyer. The person in CEFI has the status of a vocational training trainee : he or she benefits from a tripartite agreement with the host farmer and the departmental Chamber of Agriculture. The trainee is accompanied throughout this period by a CEFI advisor from the Chamber of Agriculture.

Several criteria are required in order to enter the CEFI : to be less than 55 years old at the end of the internship, to have a minimum level of agricultural training or non-agricultural training, to hold a minimum level for agricultural diploma or to have recognised agricultural work experience, to have no family ties with the internship supervisor, to demonstrate the relevance of the internship and not to carry out the internship at the intern's last place of employment.

This long internship allows the project leader to test the feasibility and viability of his takeover or association project in real life and to check his or her expectations and vision of the farming profession, whether it fits in with his personal life, etc.

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Lille European Metropolis wanted to create a market-gardening production area on its territory. A group of partners worked for several years on this project (Regional Chamber of Agriculture, association of organic producers, research centers, wholesalers, State, Regional Council, Departmental Council, Water Agency, SAFER, educational establishments, farm incubators, advisory services, toll sharing associations, etc.). A space of 47.7 ha of arable land was stored by the SAFER (French land regulatory body) while the project was being set up.

The development of this area seeks to meet 3 major objectives:

1. Support the creation of new agricultural production units, notably market gardening, arboriculture and horticulture.

2. Develop agricultural practices that respect the environment (organic farming)

3. Develop a "showcase" area for the profession, integrated into its territory

After many years of feasibility study and administrative blockages, several calls for candidates were launched in 2013 and 2015. Finally inaugurated in 2017, the market gardening and horticultural area of Wavrin (35 ha), hosts nine market gardeners, horticulturalists and nurserymen on plots between 1.5 and 6 ha. A dozen new hectares of land will be made available by 2022. New candidates will be able to settle in the area from 2021, thus enriching the organic market gardening structures already in place. This space is a place for exchange and transfer of knowledge, creating synergies between farmers.

More informations: https://www.lillemetropole.fr/votre-metropole/competences/developpement…

La Métropole Européenne de Lille souhaitait créer une zone de production maraîchère sur son territoire. Un ensemble de partenaires a travaillé plusieurs années sur ce projet (Chambre d’agriculture de Région, association des producteurs bio, centre de recherche, grossistes, État, Conseil Régional, Agence de l’eau, SAFER, établissements d’enseignement, espace test agricoles, etc.). Un espace de 47,7 ha de terres arables ont été stockées par la SAFER (organisme français de régulation foncière) le temps du montage du projet.

L’aménagement de cette zone cherche à répondre à 3 objectifs majeurs :

1. Soutenir la création de nouvelles unités de productions agricoles, notamment maraîchères, arboricoles et horticoles.

2. Développer des pratiques agricoles respectueuses de l’environnement (agriculture biologique)

3. Aménager une zone "vitrine" pour la profession, intégrée dans son territoire

Après de longues années d'étude de faisabilité et de blocages administratifs, plusieurs appels à candidatures ont été lancés en 2013 et 2015. Finalement inaugurée en 2017, la zone maraîchère et horticole de Wavrin (35 ha), accueille neuf exploitants maraîchers, horticulteurs et pépiniéristes sur des parcelles entre 1,5 et 6 ha. Une dizaine de nouveaux hectares de terre seront rendus disponibles d’ici 2022. De nouveaux porteurs de projet pourront s’installer sur la zone à partir de 2021, enrichissant ainsi les structures maraîchères biologiques déjà en place. Cet espace est un lieu d’échanges et de transferts de savoirs, créateur de synergies entre les agriculteurs.

Plus d'informations sur : https://www.lillemetropole.fr/votre-metropole/competences/developpement…

In many countries, advisory services who support New Entrants seem not to be coordinated. In France, the State services gives a label (and public funds) to one organization per Region that can play the role of “New Entrants Info Desk”. In 2 Regions, this Info desk is also targeting Farmers who want to pass over their farm to a New Entrant, it’s then called “New Entrants and Farm Transmission Info Desk”.

The aims of these info desks are to:

• Inform New Entrants on administrative procedures to become farmers.

• Support New Entrants in applying to subsidies (especially the National Grant for New Entrants).

• Advise New Entrants on their business plans.

• Orientate New Entrants towards different advisory Services (branches corporations, farmer unions, rural and farm incubators, training centers, banks, etc.).

• Coordinate the different Advisory Services supporting New Entrants and Farmers who want to pass over their farms.

• Anticipate farm transmissions.

• Create links between future farmers and future retirees.

Most of New Entrants Info Desks are managed by Chambers of Agriculture, but in some regions it can also be managed by Young Farmer’s Union or coordinated NGO and advisory services (eg: Organic farmer’s associations, rural development associations, etc.).

New Entrants Info Desk French Website: http://www.sinstallerenagriculture.fr/

This can be implemented in other countries:

• Co-organize public events with different partners.

• Co-create thematic guidebooks or toolkits.

• Co-develop and run awareness meetings for future retirees.

• Organize thematic working groups on: human aspect of farm transmission, new financial tools for agriculture

Les services de conseil qui soutiennent les nouveaux entrants sont souvent peu coordonnés. En France, l'Etat attribue un label (et des fonds publics) à une organisation par Région pouvant jouer le rôle de «Point Accueil Installation» (PAI). Dans 2 régions, il s'adresse également aux agriculteurs qui souhaitent transmettre leur ferme à un nouvel arrivant, il est alors appelé « Point Accueil Installation Transmission ».

Les objectifs de ces points d'accueil sont les suivants :

• informer les nouveaux entrants sur les démarches administratives pour devenir agriculteur,

• aider les nouveaux entrants à demander des subventions (notamment la Dotation nationale aux Jeunes Agriculteurs),

• conseiller les nouveaux entrants sur leurs études de marché,

• orienter les nouveaux entrants vers différents services de conseil (associations d'accompagnement, syndicats, espaces-test agricoles, banques, etc.),

• coordonner les différents services de conseil soutenant les nouveaux entrants et les agriculteurs qui souhaitent passer sur leurs fermes,

• anticiper les transmissions agricoles,

• créer des liens entre les futurs agriculteurs et les futurs retraités.

Cela peut être mis en œuvre dans d'autres pays :

• co-organiser des événements publics avec différents partenaires,

• co-créer des guides thématiques ou des boîtes à outils,

• co-développer et animer des réunions de sensibilisation pour les futurs retraités,

• organiser des groupes de travail thématiques sur : l'aspect humain de la transmission agricole, les nouveaux outils financiers pour l'agriculture, l'évaluation du temps de travail à la ferme, etc.

• créer un site Web commun.

Site internet des PAI : http://www.sinstallerenagriculture.fr/

The CIAP (Cooperative for installation in peasant farming) developed a vocational course called « Creative farmer » internship. It is a 1year professional training within the territory the trainee wants to settle his farm.

The creative farmer internship gives the opportunity to acquire knowledge while preparing the farm installation in a defined territory.

The creative farmer internship ensures:

- To be supported during the preparation of the installation and the acquiring of the production means

- To get benefits from the group training

- To request complementary trainings according to the person’s needs

- To learn from active farmers

- To access professional networks

Practical recommendations:

The identified and shared success factors of the “Creative Farmer” internship are:

- A long and recognised professional training giving access to a vocational trainee status

- More practical training than theoretical training which is complementary to the level IV qualification (BPREA)

- The support by one or several farmers around the installation project is formalised by an external actor (CIAP) which also acts as a mediator

- Mobilizing local support groups to provide the conditions to welcome a future farmer on a territory, prior to the installation

- The recruitment post training and pre-installation of people rooted to a defined territory

- The project’s ambition to contribute to the departmental and regional newbie’s installation statistics

La CIAP (Coopérative d’installation en Agriculture Paysanne) a développé une offre de formation professionnelle qui permet au stagiaire d’être en immersion pendant un an sur son territoire d’installation, de manière à prendre le temps de réunir les moyens de production.

Le stage Paysan Créatif permet :

- D’être accompagné pendant la préparation et l’acquisition de l’outil de production,

- De bénéficier d’une formation collective et de rencontrer d’autres porteurs de projet,

- D’avoir accès à des formations selon ses besoins,

- De se former auprès d’agriculteurs installés,

- D’accéder aux réseaux professionnels.

Recommandations pratiques :

Les points forts du stage paysan créatif sont : 

- Une formation professionnelle longue reconnue sous le statut de stagiaire de la formation professionnelle

- Ratio pratique/théorie inversé par rapport au BPREA

- Appui contractualisé et médiatisé par un tiers (la CIAP) de plusieurs paysans référents autour d’un projet d’installation

- Mobilisation des groupes d’appui locaux pour réunir les conditions d’accueil d’un porteur de projet sur un territoire en amont de l’installation

- Recrutement suite à une formation et en amont de l’installation sur un territoire défini

- Ambition de contribuer aux statistiques départementales et régionales d’installations hors cadre familiales

- Une contribution décisive à l’équilibre des modèles économiques des structures globales y compris dans le financement de la fonction accompagnement du portage temporaire

New entrants can gain access to the market through various entrepreneurial start-up initiatives. The “Startaj Slovenija” initative was founded with the support of three partners: 1) the supermarket chain Spar Slovenija, 2) the media house POP TV and 3) the marketing agency Formitas Creative. The supermarket chain Spar helps with product development and offers the sale of products in its stores, and at the same time gives young entrepreneurs the experience of work with a large retailer. The media house prepares special TV show. The advertising agency helps with communication on digital and traditional media channels and provides support for design and marketing activities.

Since 2016, 36 entrepreneurs with a total of 180 products have been given the opportunity to gain access to the market and new knowledge within the framework of “Štartaj Slovenija”. They also choose the "hit product" of the year through customer voting. Uroš and Valentina Kavčič (www.urosinvalentina.si), who took over the fruit farm in the Vipava River Valley, presented themselves in 2018 with innovative milk spreads with fruits. They also participated in 2020 with organic jams with high fruit content and fruit syrups.

Recommendations:

• Coordinated actions by various support institutions (supermarket, marketing agency, media house, etc.) is needed for access to the market.

• With the help of the start-up entrepreneurial initiative, innovative products are developed and it helps to increase awareness among customers.

• Start-up experience helps new entrants to do business with large retailers.

• Networks are created among the participants in the start-up entrepreneurial initiative, knowledge is exchanged and they gradually become role models for others.

Pri dostopu do trga so novim pristopnikom lahko v pomoč različna zagonska podjetniška gibanja. Gibanje Štartaj Slovenija je nastalo pod okriljem treh partnerjev: trgovskim podjetjem Spar Slovenija, medijsko hišo POP TV in oglaševalsko agencijo Formitas Creative. V trgovskem podjetju pomagajo pri razvoju izdelka, izdelke prodajajo v svojih trgovinah, hkrati pa mladim podjetnikompredstavijo, kaj pomeni sodelovanje z velikim trgovcem. Medijska hiša predstavi podjetniške ideje v posebni TV oddaji. Oglaševalska agencija pa skrbi za oglaševanje, celostno komunikacijo na digitalnih in klasičnih kanalih ter nudi pomoč pri oblikovanje embalaže in marketinških aktivnostih.

Od leta 2016 je v okviru projekta Štartaj Slovenija priložnost za poslovni zagon dobilo že 36 podjetnikov, ki so skupaj predstavili kar 180 izdelkov. Preko glasovanja kupcev izberejo tudi »hit produkt« leta. Uroš in Valentina Kavčič (www.urosinvalentina.si), ki sta prevzela sadjarsko kmetijo v Vipavski dolini, sta se leta 2018 predstavila širni Sloveniji z inovativnimi mlečnimi namazi s sadjem, nato pa sta svoje sodelovanje ponovila v letu 2020, ko sta predstavila bio marmelade z visokim sadnim deležem in sadne sirupe.

Priporočila:

• Potrebno je usklajeno delovanje različnih podpornih inštitucij (trgovsko podjetje, oglaševalska agencija, medijska hiša idr.) pri vzpostavljanju dostopa do trga.

• S pomočjo zagonskega podjetniškega gibanja se razvijejo inovativni produkti in sočasno gradi prepoznavnost med kupci.

• Zagonska podjetniška gibanja olajšajo novim pristopnikom sodelovanje z velikimi trgovci.

• Med sodelujočimi v zagonskem podjetniškem gibanju se ustvarijo mreže, poteka izmenjava znanja in postopoma postanejo zgled drugim.

In the UK it is difficult to attain both land for farming and appropriate accommodation. One such solution being trialled in the UK is community housing, in which ons-site housing (within a wider community) is offered alongside a plot of land. Tombreck Farm, Aberfeldy, Perthshire have been looking for new farmers and growers to join them on their farm and offer long-term housing on their site too. To date three sets of new entrants have starting businesses on the farm (including beekeeping, market gardening and wildflowers), each of whom also live on the farm in a housing co-operative. This area of Scotland is particularly difficult to find housing given the large number of holiday homes. As such, the long-term vision is to develop this community further through eco-houses which could be rented or purchased through a shared equity scheme. To date they have already constructed a community building which can be used for socialising, as well as renting out for functions as a source of income for the community. Other similar co-housing and farming schemes are planned across Scotland, including at Comrie croft with help from Rural Housing Scotland.

https://www.tombreck.co.uk

http://www.comriecroft.com/

https://ruralhousingscotland.org/

Recommendations

- Creative way to encourage new entrants to your farm, so that your farmland is maintained and productive.

- Opportuntiy to create a new community in an area with many second homes.

- Opportunity for new entrants to begin farming on a small and low-risk plot of land, and learn from the wider community

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Many UK new entrants involved in the NEWBIE project were involved in NeighbourFood. Their mission is to bring the best produce to your table, support our incredible local food producers and build a community around delicious food Neighbourfood is an online produce market in which the consumer can buy direct from the producer, and then go and collect their produce at a local market (much like they would with a normal farmers’ market). However, this model was favoured by many of our new entrant farmers as it was a way of assuring their produce that they took to market would sell (given the pre-order). There are multiple NeighbourFood Markets and Hubs across the UK. Some of our new entrant video participants were also hosts of NeighbourFood Hubs (for their own produce and neighbouring farms) meaning that customers were come direct to their farms to collect their orders. At other locations waste-free shops and small local shops also acted as hosts.

Link: www.neighbourfood.co.uk

Recommendations

- Creative ways to ensure produce is sold but minating a market-style setting

- Useful during COVID-19 lockdowns to ensure as little contact between producer and customer as possible

- One way to create a new network of food producers, between consumers, producers and hosts (which can also include waste-free shops)

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Similar to care farming, there has been a recent rise in social farming and crofting in the UK. Within social crofting, the croft is used to offer educational experiences to local people, often with a focus on people experiencing poor mental health or living with learning disabilities. One example, Darach Croft, incorporates on-site goat walking and felting workshops to increase their exposure to people from diverse backgrounds and those living with a wide range of conditions who may otherwise have limited opportunities for on-farm experiences. Furthermore they owners Sarah and Hugh are new entrants, bringing their skills from former careers in the health and social care sector onto their new croft business. They also are branching out into forest bathing to offer another opportunity for on-croft diversification as well as a means to better link crofting and wellbeing. During lockdown they have also been offering their forest bathing and felting workshops online.

Link: https://darachcroft.com/

Recommendations

- Diversifying activities on the croft to appeal to a wider range of

- Utilise skills from previous career to improve your farm/croft offering.

- Offering online versions of workshops to appeal to additional markets that cannot easily travel to the farm/ croft.

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When a young successor farmer started to take more control over the dairy industry, they made a number of significant innovative changes to the business model. These changes provided a valuable service to the community during the Covid-19 lockdowns and social distancing provisions. The main changes involved increased revenues through a variety of on-farm processing and direct to consumer pathways. First came an organic milk vending machine, where customers bring their own re-usables bottles to fill up one or two liters of fresh milk. Following the success of this model, the farm has added a farm shop that sells other dairy products, including organic cheese made from the farms milk (also produced by a third party), on farm produced yogurts, and a small selection of other local products. During the Covid-19 lockdowns the ability to purchase wholesome local goods without entering a store provided a valuable service and the farm shop showed increased interest. The farm leveraged this interest to produce a ‘gelateria’ where gelatos made from their milk are sold alongside locally roasted coffee and other products. The site was built with covid in mind including ample outdoor seating, good ventilation and clear instructions to maintain distance yet enjoy the farm products. Link: https://www.forestfarmdairy.co.uk/

Recommendations

- Creative ways to adapt quickly to changing consumer demands creates business opportiunities.

- The farm has an ideal location, near the city and off a main road.

- This type of adaptation and investment in physical infrastructure requires land ownership or secure land tenure

- Show the adaptibility of territorial food systems by meeting the local community needs.

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An emerging strategy to address the problem of land access for new entrants is the sustainable farm land trust. These entities usually possess the parallel goals of alternative land access arrangements for farmers and the promotion of sustainable agriculture practices such as agroecology. Where the price of land is prohibitive for individual farmers and tenancy arrangements fail to provide genuine agency and secure tenure, these land trusts raise funds to purchase land, then arrange innovative lease arrangements to young farmers or to farmers to possess the capacity to produce small scale diversified production. How the models raise funds, build equity and support their farmers can differ and each decision has important implications for the models impact of new entrants. For example, the ecological land co-op raises funds via community share offer, in which an initial investment of £500 is suggested to return 3% annually. The Scottish Farmland Trust plans to ensure the sustainability of its farmers through conditions of the lease which stipulate a certain form of agricultural benchmarks.

A land trust may simply serve to acquire and redistribute land, or they may also act as an intermediary in terms of helping farmers with administrative tasks, such as achieving planning permission or tax complications and finding additional funding for capital improvements.

Recommendations

- Each financing model, lends itself to different forms of organisation

- Land trusts must confront who gains a share of equity

- Land trusts have the power to compel certain forms of agricultural practices through lease arrangmenets

- Build synergies by co-locating different business models

- Form a housing solution to attract tenants.

Ce contenu est actuellement disponible uniquement dans sa langue maternelle

Farming Connect is a Welsh government funded program nested in its Menter a Busnes economic development programme. The program is a multi-faceted support program to support the general industry but has a special focus on enhancing the businesses of new entrant farmers. Over 22,000 individuals are registered with Farming Connect, including 11,000 farming businesses.

Some of programs offered are subsidised training courses, facilitated networking building, modular learning on certain relevant themes, direct assistance in business planning, all with a strong focus on coaching and mentoring techniques as the key theory of change.

The core of farming connect relevant for new entrants is the ‘Agri-academy, which is a cohort-based, personal development programme offered over three residential weekends including an oversea study visit. In this program, 12 selected applicants of aspiring farmers learn from each other while progressing through a course module set around personal excellence and inspiration, extending well beyond agricultural learning. Some emphasized skills are communication, becoming an ambassador in agriculture, and engaging with contemporary debates in the food system.

More information: https://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/business/skills-and-trai…

Recommendations

• Interpersonal skills, like communication, leadership, and confidence are perhaps more important than technical skills

• Building a community of like mided aspiring farmers is a key to persistance

• Nesting a trainig program within a larger governmental support programme ensures longevity.

Ce contenu est actuellement disponible uniquement dans sa langue maternelle

The farm incubator concept is appealing to many new entrant support organisations, especially where land prices are cost prohibitive.

The UK Farmstart Network is an informal information hub supported by the UK-based Landworkers’ Alliance. The Landworkers’ Alliance subscribes to the European Coordination of La Via Campesina, the international peasants’ rights and smallholder farmers lobby.

The Farmstart Network is aimed at supporting non-profits and governments and other actors who wish to start a form of farm business incubator as a method of repairing inefficient or broken elements of the so-called ‘farming ladder.’

Inspired by incubator models, especially from the RENETA network in France, the Farmstart Network publishes a series of cases of existing incubator farms in the UK. The network also provides access to a listserv were members interested in farms or activities as well as opportunities for funding.

The Farmstart Network has also published a handbook on how to start an incubator farm, which identifies a typology of farm incubators and their different considerations (e.g. it identifies ways to acquire funding, barriers to success, and considerations with how to run an equitable tendering process). Link:

https://landworkersalliance.org.uk/farm-start-network/

Recommendations

- Understand how different incubator structures solves different problems for new entrants.

- Idenitfy core steps to set up a ‘farmstart’: land access, recruiting tenants, financing the project, aggregating production.

- Plan for a ‘graduation’ strategy where leavers of hte programme have a reasonable next step, for exmaple a governmental ladn matching service

Ce contenu est actuellement disponible uniquement dans sa langue maternelle

New entrants can struggle to gain the appropriate skills and knowledge to begin their farming ventures. Tomnah’a market garden (Scotland) experienced this issue and tried to prevent of happening to other potential new entrants by employing these potential future new entrant horticulturists for a season. During this time, the future new entrants would develop their horticulture skills and knowledge so they could improve their chances of starting their own horticulture business. Such approaches, however, need to be taken in tandem with viable access to capital and land. Other new entrants, including Teleri Fielden (Wales) have highlighted the importance of good connections with your neighbours, and even the ability to speak Welsh, as helpful means to accessing information. Other more formal options for skills and knowledge sharing are also available through national farmer and crofting unions.

Recommendations

- Consider including new entrant information events or work placements on your farming ventures if possible.

- Future new entrants should look to existing new entrants for oportunities for accessing information.

- There is a need to also consider access to land and capital in tandem with information access.

Ce contenu est actuellement disponible uniquement dans sa langue maternelle

New entrants can struggle with identifying a sustainable target market through which to sell their produce, or to compete with larger more established farming ventures. One potential solution is diversifying the target market by selling directly to multiple markets. This can be through a range of methods including virtual farmers markets, directly to wholesale or restaurants. It is also important to consider the multiple markets available at the different life stages of a product. For instance, fennel can be sold as seeds, flowers, or a vegetable, offering multiple opportunities to sell products throughout its lifecycle. This approach is undertaken by Aweside Farm (East Sussex, England) who were conscious to create both a sustainable and profitable business, and also get the most out of their products. Such an approach gives the farmers more opportunities to sell and reduce their potential wastage if they miss a particular market for any reason. Tomnah’a Market Garden (Perthshire, Scotland) have also adopted this approach selling to online farmers markets and wedding venues.

Recommendations

- Consider selling through existing virtual markets to reduce the risk of wasted products and time commitments required from in-person selling.

- Think innovatively about the multiple ways your products can be marketed and to who.

- Develop strong relations with local markets (e.g. vegetable boxes, wholesale flowers, selling vegetables and flowers direct to restaurants, including the sale of flowers for seeds, edible and decorative purposes).

Ce contenu est actuellement disponible uniquement dans sa langue maternelle

Recently, the herbal sector in Slovenia has seen an upsurge in entrepreneurial activity which includes wild-harvesting and/or production of herbs, their processing and sale. Several new entrants can be seen in the herb sector, either as newcomers or as family farm members (mostly women) addressing the market niche and on-farm diversification. These entrepreneurial activities are carried out by the actors through different registered forms (personal supplementary work, supplementary on-farm activity, sole proprietors, associations, limited liability company) and business models.

Slovenian herbal entrepreneurs use short supply chains: most raw materials and products are of local or regional origin and are sold directly on local or regional markets. Most of them, do in fact, try to connect with different actors in the area (local action groups, development agencies, educational institutions, municipalities), but mostly in connection with education, promotion and sales of their products (in terms of sales to the end customer). Although the herbal scene in Slovenia is very dynamic and innovative at the moment, there are some hurdles to overcome soon (no successors, knowledge exchange, etc.).

Recommendations:

• Important steps need to be taken to strengthen the business models of herbal entrepreneurs by integrating the herbal industry into the hospitality and tourism sector.

• Educating young people about the cultivation and use of herbs is critical for both knowledge retention and transfer and for the functioning of the herbal industry.

V zadnjem času je v Sloveniji prišlo do vzpona podjetniške dejavnosti v zeliščarstvu: le-to vključuje nabiranje divjih rastlin in/ali pridelavo zelišč, njihovo predelavo in prodajo. V zeliščarstvu je mogoče videti več novih pristopnikov v kmetijstvo - bodisi kot novincev bodisi kot članov družinskih kmetij (večinoma žensk), ki v tem vidijo možnosti za iskanje tržne vrzeli ali pa za povečanje diverzifikacije na kmetiji. Te podjetniške dejavnosti akterji izvajajo v različnih pravnoorganizacijskih oblikah (osebno dopolnilno delo, dopolnilna dejavnost na kmetiji, samostojni podjetniki posamezniki, združenja, družbe z omejeno odgovornostjo) in poslovnih modelih.

Slovenski zeliščarji-podjetniki uporabljajo kratke oskrbne verige: večina surovin in izdelkov je lokalnega ali regionalnega izvora ter se prodaja neposredno na lokalnih ali regionalnih trgih. Večina se jih dejansko poskuša povezati z različnimi akterji na lokalnem območju (lokalne akcijske skupine, razvojne agencije, izobraževalne ustanove, občine), in sicer večinoma v povezavi z izobraževanjem, promocijo in prodajo izdelkov (v smislu prodaje končnemu kupcu). Čeprav je zeliščna scena v Sloveniji trenutno zelo dinamična in inovativna, bo potrebno kmalu premagati nekaj ovir (zeliščarji-podjetniki nimajo naslednikov, izmenjava znanja med generacijami itd.).

Priporočila:

• Potrebno je sprejeti učinkovite ukrepe za krepitev poslovnih modelov zeliščarjev-podjetnikov z vključitvijo zelišč v gostinstvo in turizem.

• Izobraževanje mladih o nabiranju, pridelavi in uporabi zelišč je ključnega pomena tako za ohranjanje in prenos znanja kot tudi za razvoj zeliščarstva kot gospodarske dejavnosti.

Also in Slovenia, new entrants to agriculture recognize access to land as one of the most important hurdles. There is an interesting practice provided by the Farmland and Forest Fund of the Republic of Slovenia (the Fund, est. in 1993; http://www.s-kzg.gov.si/en/). The Fund manages and disposes of the state farmland (8.7% of the agric. land), farms and forests, ensures their rational use and management. This includes the conclusion of financially affordable leases based on public tenders. There is a priority list of beneficiaries for these leases, including: existing tenants, the neighbouring tenants and farmers, other farmers or farm enterprises and young farmers.

There were 54,803 ha of land leased (2015): with legal entities (476 contracts/leased 23,393 ha) and individual persons (16,033 contracts/28,783 ha/1.8 ha on average). As there is more interest in land than it is available, some farmers criticize the existing list of beneficiaries because there is "not enough room for new candidates" and complete newcomers to agriculture are not included in the list of beneficiaries. The Fund is financed from its own resources.

Recommendations:

• The Fund provides interested (family) farmers and farm enterprises additional land for agricultural activities.

• The mechanism would be more comprehensive in the future if there was appropriate legislation to identify and classify newcomers as possible priority tenants.

• Especially young successors look for this land tenancy when they prepare and apply a new business plan for their farms.

Tudi v Sloveniji novi pristopniki v kmetijstvo prepoznavajo dostop do zemljišč kot eno najpomembnejših ovir. Obstaja pa zanimiva praksa najema zemljišč, ki jo zagotavlja Sklad kmetijskih zemljišč in gozdov Republike Slovenije (v nadaljevanju Sklad, ustanovljen leta 1993; http://www.s-kzg.gov.si/si/). Sklad upravlja in razpolaga z državnimi kmetijskimi zemljišči (8,7% vseh kmetijskih zemljišč), kmetijami in gozdovi, zagotavlja njihovo racionalno rabo in upravljanje. Sklad tako nudi sklenitev finančno ugodnih najemov na podlagi javnih razpisov. Na seznamu prednostnih upravičencev so: obstoječi najemniki, sosednji najemniki in kmetje, drugi kmetje ali kmetijska podjetja in mladi kmetje. V letu 2015 je bilo najetih 54.803 ha zemljišč: s strani pravnih (476 pogodb/zakup 23.393 ha) in fizičnih oseb (16.033 pogodb/zakup 28.783 ha/v povprečju 1,8 ha). Ker je zanimanje za najem zemljišč večje, kot je zemljišč na voljo, nekateri kmetje kritizirajo obstoječi prednostni seznam upravičencev, ker "ne nudi dovolj prostora za nove kandidate", popolni novinci v kmetijstvu pa niso na seznamu upravičencev. Sklad se financira iz lastnih sredstev.

Priporočila:

• Sklad zainteresiranim (družinskim) kmetom in kmetijskim podjetjem zagotavlja dodatna zemljišča za izvajanje kmetijske dejavnosti.

• Mehanizem bi bil v prihodnosti bolj vključujoč, če bi novelirana zakonodaja na seznam prednostnih upravičencev uvrstila tudi novince v kmetijstvu.

• Skladova zemljišča so zlasti privlačna za mlade prevzemnike, saj je ugoden najem kmetijskih zemljišč zelo vabljiv pri njihovem poslovnem načrtu ob prevzemu družinske kmetije.

Park Istra is a non-profit organization in SW Slovenia (led by geographers Petra and Janez Matos; http://parkistra.com/en/) dedicated to sustainability and volunteerism. They have leased a former military property, renovated it and turned it into an international volunteer center: since 2014 they have hosted more than 1000 volunteers from 53 countries.

Park Istra is strongly embedded in the local community: volunteers help farmers with planting and harvesting, pruning vineyards and olive groves, picking herbs for herbal processing, weeding, picking tomatoes and fruits from abandoned fields/fruit trees, setting fences for plant protection and together they donate these products to homeless people. They also help local communities clean riverbeds and maintain stone walls, support local events, help charities, people and animals in need, organize workshops, internships, etc. As they have a wide network, they have been approached several times recently for matching advice: either by older farmers (without heirs) or by young families as newcomers looking for available farms to start as newcomers. They received the highest Slovenian National Award (2019) for outstanding volunteer service.

Recommendations:

• Park Istra as a non-profit organization offers international volunteer opportunities to link with new entrants in agriculture looking for additional workers.

• As a trusted institution that is visible in the locality, it acts as a network facilitator - connecting older farmers with newcomers in agriculture (mostly young families).

Park Istra je neprofitna organizacija v JZ Sloveniji (vodita jo geografa Petra in Janez Matos; https://parkistra.com/), ki se osredotoča na trajnost in prostovoljstvo. Nahaja se v nekdanji karavli, ki so jo najeli, prenovili in spremenili v mednarodni prostovoljski center: od leta 2014 so gostili več kot 1000 prostovoljcev iz 53 držav.

Park Istra je močno vpet v lokalno skupnost: prostovoljci pomagajo kmetom pri sajenju in obiranju, obrezovanju vinogradov in oljčnih nasadov, obiranju zelišč za njihovo predelavo, obiranju paradižnika in sadja na zapuščenih poljih/sadnih drevesih, postavljanju ograj za zaščito rastlin, pogosto tudi pridelke podarijo brezdomcem. Prav tako pomagajo lokalnim skupnostim pri čiščenju rečnih strug in vzdrževanju kamnitih zidov, pri organizaciji lokalnih prireditev, pomagajo dobrodelnim organizacijam, ljudem in živalim v stiski, organizirajo delavnice, pripravništva itd.

Ker so vzpostavili široko razvejano mrežo, so se na njih v zadnjem času že večkrat obrnili po nasvet: bodisi starejši kmetje (brez dedičev) bodisi mlade družine kot novinci v kmetijstvu, ki iščejo razpoložljive kmetije. Za izjemno delo je Park Istra v letu 2019 prejel najvišjo slovensko državno nagrado na področju prostovoljstva.

Priporočila:

• Park Istra kot neprofitna organizacija nudi možnosti za povezovanje mednarodnega prostovoljstva z novimi pristopniki v kmetijstvo, ki iščejo dodatno delovno silo.

• Kot zaupanja vredna institucija, ki je prepoznavna tudi v lokalnem okolju, deluje kot povezovalec starejših kmetov in novincev v kmetijstvu (predvsem mlade družine).

Farmers have been globally recognised as one of the riskiest occupational groups in terms of mental disorders. Slovenia is not an exception, although the situation has not been systematically investigated. The rate of suicide remains high in Slovenia, particularly in rural areas and among famers. Access to psychological support is very relevant for new entrants when taking over a farm (new family roles) or facing with unique stressors (fluctuating market prices, extreme weather, diseases, etc.). Few social responses are developed in terms of political action, health and social services and research.

Project (In)ability of rural areas (2020-2021), led by Association of Slovene Rural Youth, focused on access to psychological knowledge and skills. Several regional workshops/interactive meetings with farmers and their supportive environment were organised. The aim of the project was to reduce the social stigma about mental health in rural areas and to prepare policy recommendations. More information about the project (in Slovene): www.zspm.si/nemoc-podezelja/.

Recommendations:

• Farmers are likely to experience excessive burden of adversity, stress factors and mental health issues. Priority for future policies, practise and research in Slovenia should focus on some social determinants of health and wellbeing (masculinities, rural settings, agrarian values and farming occupation).

• There is a need to develop long-term social responses in collaboration with farming communities, e.g. info point with qualified psychotherapist for farmers.

• Reducing social stigma with different campaigns.

• Including this topic in education programmes for young farmers.

Na globalni ravni so izmed vseh poklicnih skupin kmetje najbolj izpostavljanji tveganju za razvoj duševnih bolezni. Slovenija ni izjema, čeprav razmere še niso bile sistematično raziskane. Stopnja samomorov v Sloveniji je še vedno visoka, zlasti na podeželju in med kmeti. Ko novi pristopnik prevzeme kmetijo in s tem tudi nove vloge v družini ali ko se mora soočiti z unikatnimi stresorji kot so nihanje cen, ekstremne vremenske razmere, bolezni ipd. je pomembna dostopnost do psihološke podpore. Tovrstnih odzivov politik je bilo do sedaj le malo, omejene so tudi zdravstvene in socialne storitve in raziskava.

Projekt (Ne)moč podeželja (2020–2021), ki ga vodi Zveza slovenske podeželske mladine, se osredotoča na dostop do psihološke podpore, znanj in veščin. V sklopu projekta je bilo organiziranih več regionalnih delavnic/interaktivnih srečanj s kmeti in njihovim podpornim okoljem. Cilj projekta je zmanjšati socialno stigmo o duševnem zdravju na podeželju in pripraviti priporočila za politike. Več informacij o projektu: www.zspm.si/nemoc-podezelja/.

Praktična priporočila:

• Zelo verjetno je, da se bo moral kmet pri svojem delu spopasti z različnimi ovirami, dejavniki stresa in tudi težavami v duševnem zdravju. Prihodnje politike, prakse in raziskave v Sloveniji bi se morale osredotočiti na nekatere dejavnike tveganja zdravja in dobrega počutja (moški spol, podeželani, kmečke vrednote in zaposlene v kmetijstvu).

• V sodelovanju s kmetijskimi podpornimi organizacijami je potrebno razviti dolgoročne odzive na to problematiko, npr. info točka s kvalificiranim psihoterapevtom za kmete.

• Potrebno je sistemsko pristopiti k zmanjševanju družbene stigme z različnimi kampanjami.

• Vključitev tematike vezane na duševno zdravje v izobraževalne programe za mlade kmete.

The Newbie project is one of the many steps in analysing, besides the newcomers themselves, the enabling environment in which these newcomers take their strategic decisions. Specifically for agriculture, this enabling environment is often termed the agricultural knowledge and innovation system, or AKIS. Important is the notion is that this environment does not only contain private or public advisors, but a whole host of enabling institutions and companies. This includes but is not limited to accountancy firms, banks, embedded advisory services (advisory services provided by suppliers), incubators and farmer representation institutions. This context differs between countries, regions and sectors. The Newbie steering groups in each partner country contain many such institutions.

The Celsa project, founded by the Flemish and Slovenian Newbie partners, aims to answer some of the many questions still concerning this AKIS. Mainly the exact role it plays in strategic decisions. A first analysis shows that the role of each member of the supportive environment differs between farmers, the context of the decision and the sector. Farmers do appear to have a ‘core’ environment of those influences that are important for all their decisions, regardless of the context. These are often their parents or partner. Depending on the specifics of the decision advice is gathered from related choices. Nonetheless, significant differences between Slovenia and Flanders show that much research is still left to be done. There is also a lot of potential to translate the results into Newbie activities.

Het Newbie project is slechts één van de vele stappen in de analyse van, naast de eigenschappen van de nieuwkomers zelf, de ondersteunende omgeving waarin al deze nieuwkomers hun strategische beslissingen nemen. Specifiek voor landbouw wordt deze omgeving ook wel het AKIS, of agricultural knowledge and innovation system genoemd. Belangrijk hierbij is dat deze omgeving niet alleen bestaat uit private en publieke adviseurs, maar ook uit allerhande organizaties en bedrijven. Voorbeelden zijn boekhoudkantoren, banken, adviseur-verkopers van leveranciers, incubatoren en sectororganisaties. Deze context verschilt tussen de verschillende landen, gebieden en sectoren van. De Newbie steering groups van onze partners bevatten veel van zulke organisaties.

Het Celsa project, gestart door de Vlaamse en Sloveense partners van het Newbie project, beoogt het beantwoorden van enkele van de vele vragen rond de rol van dit AKIS. Voornamelijk de rol die het speelt in het nemen (of niet nemen) van strategische beslissingen. Een eerste analyse toont dat de rol van leden van het AKIS verschilt tussen landbouwers, de context van hun beslissing en sector. Landbouwers lijken echter wel te beschikken over een kern ondersteuning die hen helpt bij elke beslissing, ongeacht de context. Dit zijn vaak de ouders of partner. Dit wordt aangevuld met extra advies van partners die relevant zijn voor de context van de beslissing. De grote verschillen tussen Slovenië en België geven echter wel aan dat er nog veel onderzoek nodig is. Er is ook de kans om de resultanten de vertalen in output van het Newbie project.

All across Europe, local food strategies are being implemented. This tendency can also be observed in Flanders. In the city of Leuven, the local food strategy is further strengthened by the installation of a food and farming advisory board, in which a diversity of stakeholders is represented that all have their specific approach towards a more sustainable food system (economic, social, environmental).

The local food strategy gives a voice to farmers and offers a platform to build bridges between farmers. For instance, the city of Leuven launched in 2020 a call for projects on municipality owned agricultural land. 11 projects have been granted, providing opportunities for several new entrants in the region to develop innovative ideas that fit within the food strategy of Leuven. Another example concerns the climate dialogues. In light of the COP-26, the city will organize climate dialogues with farmers aiming to identify the key environmental challenges and finding solutions to overcome them.

Despite polarization in media, new entrants in farming – whatever their production system or background – share common values and face similar hurdles. Municipalities can act as enablers for the organizations of constructive dialogues, building bridges among farmers and contribute to knowledge sharing.

In heel Europa worden lokale voedselstrategieën geïmplementeerd. Deze tendens is ook in Vlaanderen waar te nemen. In Leuven wordt de lokale voedselstrategie gedragen door de installatie van een adviesraad voor voeding en landbouw (VLAR), waarin een diversiteit aan belanghebbenden is vertegenwoordigd, elk met hun specifieke invalshoek met betrekking tot een duurzamer voedselsysteem (economisch, sociaal, ecologisch).

De Leuvense lokale voedselstrategie geeft boeren ook een stem en biedt een platform om bruggen te slaan tussen landbouwers. Twee voorbeelden tonen dit aan. De stad Leuven lanceerde in 2020 een projectoproep voor pachtvrije landbouwgronden van de Stad. Er werden 11 projecten gehonoreerd die kansen bieden aan verschillende nieuwkomers in de landbouw om innovatieve ideeën te ontwikkelen die passen binnen de voedingsstrategie van Leuven. Een ander voorbeeld betreft de klimaatdialogen. In het licht van de COP-26 zal de stad klimaatdialogen met landbouwers organiseren om de belangrijkste milieu-uitdagingen te identificeren en oplossingen te formuleren.

Ondanks de polarisatie in de media delen nieuwkomers in de landbouw – ongeacht hun productiesysteem of achtergrond – gemeenschappelijke waarden en worden ze met vergelijkbare hindernissen geconfronteerd. Gemeenten kunnen als facilitator fungeren voor het organiseren van constructieve dialogen, bruggen bouwen tussen boeren en bijdragen aan kennisdeling.

More: https://www.leuven2030.be/leuvensevoedselstrategie

On the 8th of September the Flemish Newbie team held a discussion circle on hiring labour on a starting farm. Speakers were three Newbie Award 2020 laureates who each focused on different strategies of hiring labour.

Hiring permanent employees

+ More reliable

+ Permanent

+ High skilled

- Expensive

- Obligatory after IBO

- Less flexible

- Complex payment and administration

Hiring student workers

+ Cheap

+ Flexible

+ Less administration

+ Student holidays overlap with busy season

+ Potential to create a close community

+ Could serve as consumers or publicity

- Less reliable

- Yearly hiring process

- Less skill build-up

Workers as shareholders/licensing holders

+ Cheap in the short term

+ Ability to give a lot of responsibility

- Complicated

- New, so maybe hard to explain to potential workers

It is important for new entrants to seek advice on this topic from experienced advisory services. Each type of labour comes with its own challenges and both the type and the actual worker have to match with the farm model. The cheapest option, seasonal labour, is often not an option in more innovative farms, which leads to a lot of doubt about how to move forward.

Op 8 september organiseerde het Vlaamse Newbie team een discussiecirkel met als thema het aanwerpen van personeel op een startend landbouwbedrijf. De aanwezige sprekers waren drie laureaten van de Newbie Award 2020 die elk over een ander model van personeelsaanwerving kwam spreken.

Aanwerven vast personeel

+ Betrouwbaar

+ Vast

+ Meer kennisopbouw/ervaring

- Duurste optie

- Verplicht na IBO

- Minder flexibel

- Complexere verloning en administratie

Aanwerven jobstudenten

+ Goedkoop

+ Flexibel

+ Minder administratie

+ Vakantie van studenten tijdens hoogseizoen

+ Kan een hechte community worden

+ Kunnen dienen als een brug naar consumenten en reclame

- Minder betrouwbaar

- Ieder jaar opnieuw een aanwervingsproces

- Minder kennisopbouw/ervaring

Personeel als aandeel- of licentiehouders

+ Goedkoop op korte termijn

+ Mogelijkheid om hen veel verantwoordelijkheid te laten

- Complex

- Vernieuwend, dus moeilijker uit te voeren

Het is belangrijk voor starters om zich te laten adviseren door ervaren adviesbureaus of organisaties. Elk type werknemer heeft zijn eigen voordelen en uitdagingen en de beste mix is uniek voor elk startend bedrijf. Zo is de goedkoopste optie, plukkaarten, vaak geen optie voor vernieuwende bedrijfsmodellen.

New entrants are often full of ideas on how they want to start a brand new farm or innovate the farm that they take over. In order to realize these ideas, and structure them in a realistic way, a clear plan is needed. The Business Model Canvas can serve as a very powerful instrument to streamline the ideas of new entrants and describe more precisely the added value that the ideas can bring to the farm.

A Business Model Canvas consists of nine building blocks: supply, diversity of clients, client relationship, communication channels, income, key activities, people and means, strategic partners and, finally, the cost structure.

The Business Model Canvas is a general tool. It can be used for any starting business. Boerenbond and Innovatiesteunpunt refined the Business Model Canvas, adjusting it to the specific case of the agricultural sector. This work was funded by the Lionsproject – Limburgs Innovatief Agrarisch Ondernemerschap Stimuleren. The final brochure is available online, currently only on Dutch. The Newbie consortium works on a translation of the brochure, making it available to new entrants in farming all across Europe.

In summary

• Visit the webpage for the online tool www.boerenbond.be/bmc

Recommendations

• Structure your ideas as new entrant

• Think carefully about the market and the market potential

• Develop a realistic financial plan for your ideas

Nieuwkomers in de landbouw zitten vaak vol creatieve ideeën over hoe ze het bedrijf zullen uitbouwen, hetzij van scratch hetzij bij overname. Een sterk ondernemingsplan is geen overbodige luxe om deze ideeën te structureren en om de toegevoegde waarde ervan te identificeren.

Een Business Model Canvas is opgebouwd uit negen blokken: aanbod, klantengroepen, klantenrelaties, kanalen, inkomsten, kernactiviteiten, mensen en middelen, strategische partners en

kostenstructuur.

Het Business Model Canvas is een algemeen instrument, dat toepassing kent in alle sectoren. De Vlaamse organisaties Boerenbond en Innovatiesteunpunt verfijnden deze tool, zodat hij kan worden gemakkelijk kan worden gebruikt in de context van de landbouwsector. De ontwikkeling van het BMC voor nieuwe starters in land- en tuinbouw kaderde in het Lionsproject – Limburgs Innovatief Agrarisch Ondernemerschap Stimuleren. De finale brochure is online beschikbaar, voorlopig alleen in het Nederlands. Het Newbie consortium werkt aan een vertaling van deze brochure, zodat hij breed toegankelijk is voor alle nieuwkomers in de Europese land- en tuinbouw.

Samengevat

• De online tool voor de ontwikkeling van een Business Model Canvas is beschikbaar via www.boerenbond.be/bmc

Aanbeveling

• Structureer als nieuwkomer je ideeën

• Onderzoek de markt en het marktpotentieel voor je ideeën

• Ontwikkel een realistisch financieel plan voor je bedrijf

Consumers interested in buying locally produced products online have two main options in Flanders: the local organisation Voedselteams and the international (France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany) Boeren & Buren. Both serve as the bridge between producers and consumers through a web platform that can be used to order products. The difference between both is minor but important for partners looking to set up a similar system in their country.

Voedselteams is a Flemish local food platform that focusses heavily on sustainability. Farmers need to prove the sustainability of their products (organic is not a requirement) through a thorough selection process. Consumers order products through the webshop and they are subsequently delivered in a local pick-up point that is entirely handled by volunteers. Voedselteams charges only 6% for this service.

Boeren & Buren is an international platform that focusses heavily on interaction with the farmer. Farmers are required to be present at the pick-up point ("Buurderij") themselves to deliver the products during short opening hours. These opening hours are short (1hour) and right after working hours to ensure it is easy for the consumer but also financially viable for the farmer. No selection process is necessary for farmers, so the focus is much less on sustainably produced products. The service cost is higher at 16%.

Consumenten die online op zoek zijn naar lokale producten hebben in Vlaanderen twee belangrijke opties: het lokale Voedselteams en het meer internationale Boeren & Buren (actief in Frankrijk, Belgie, Nederland en Duitsland). Beiden voorzien ze een brug tussen de producent en de consument via een online platform waarop bestellingen kunnen worden geplaatst. Het verschil tussen beide is klein, maar belangrijk voor partners die dergelijke platformen in hun lidstaat wensen op te zetten.

Voedselteams is een Vlaams lokaal voedselplatform dat de focus op duurzaamheid legt. Landbouwers moeten via een selectieprocedure bewijzen dat hun producten voldoende duurzaam geproduceerd worden (bio is echter geen vereiste). Klanten kopen producten via de webshop en kunnen die later ophalen is het dichtstbijzijnde ophaalpunt. Die ophaalpunt wordt bemand door één of meerdere vrijwilligers. Voedselteams rekent voor hun diensten 6% aan.

Boeren & Buren is een internationaal platform dat de focus legt op interactie met de landbouwer. In tegenstelling tot Voedselteams zijn het de landbouwers zelf die aanwezig moeten zijn op het afhaalpunt – een Buurderij – tijdens korte openingsuren. Deze openingsuren zijn kort (+- 1 uur) en net na de werkuren om het haalbaar te maken voor de klant, maar ook financieel haalbaar voor de producent. Er is geen selectieproces dus de focus ligt minder op duurzaamheid. Boeren & Buren rekent voor hun diensten 16% aan

Farm succession is a long and complex process that is, besides administratively difficult, also emotionally taxing. To increase the knowledge, transfer five Belgian institutions or companies decided to work together and introduce the knowledge centre for succession planning (kenniscentrum bedrijfsopvolging). These institutions include a bank, the major farmer organisation, the major young farmer organisation and a bookkeeping service company. Putting all the knowledge surrounding this topic in one place increases the likelihood of successful farm succession (and the continuation of our industry).

The knowledge centre produces brochures, gives classes on succession and is open to any farmers with questions. The service is not free, but moderately priced for members of the two farmer organisations included. Besides the administration, laws and policies the knowledge centre spends extra attention to the emotional side of the succession. Brochures with step-by-step fill-in diagrams lead the farmer through all the things that have to be considered.

It is important that this crucial stage of a farmer’s career is sufficiently supported and farmer organisations in other countries of Europe will benefit from the creation of a knowledge centre.

Bedrijfsopvolging is a een lang een complex proces dat zowel administratief ingewikkeld als emotioneel zwaar is. Om de kennisoverdracht rond deze processen te verbeteren, besloten vijf Belgische organisaties of bedrijven de handen in elkaar te slaan en het kenniscentrum bedrijfsopvolging op te richten. Deze organisaties zijn oa een bank, de voornaamste landbouwersvereniging, de voornaamste jonge landbouwervereniging en een boekhoudkantoor gespecialiseerd in landbouwbedrijven. Het verzamelen van alle informatie rond bedrijfsopvolging vergroot de kans op een succesvolle bedrijfsoverdracht.

Het kenniscentrum brengt informatiebrochures uit, organiseert lessen over opvolging en staat steeds klaar voor alle vragen van landbouwers. De activiteiten zijn niet gratis, maar wel goedkoper voor leden van de voornaamste landbouwerverenigingen. Naast de administratie, wetgeving en beleidsinstrumenten geeft het kenniscentrum extra andacht aan de emotionele kant van het verhaal. Brochures met stap-voor-stap processen begeleiden landbouwers door alle aspecten die in afweging moeten worden genomen.

Het is belangrijk dat deze cruciale stap in de carrière van een landbouwer de nodige aandacht krijgt. Een kenniscentrum is één van de mogelijkheden die organisaties uit andere landen in Europa kunnen overwegen om deze stap te ondersteunen.

The 'Worksheet of the Future' is a paper canvas of one meter wide and five meters long that participants work on for a day. It is a carefully phased process in which participants work step by step with essential components for personal and business development.

From dream image to action plan

Participants use the worksheet to record a dream image for their company, ten years in the future. In a number of steps we combine creative and innovative ideas in a step towards your farm of the future. Before working on the dream farm, there are parts that look at the roots of the farm and family and at the ambitions and motivations of the participant. With this, the worksheet works on topics such as working together within a family, local-oriented entrepreneurship, discovering personal motivations, formulating a solution question, recording an action and step-by-step plan, etc.

Especially for new entrants

The core quality of the 'Worksheet of the Future' principle is that entrepreneurs are given the tools to convert their ambitions into practical actions. New agricultural entrepreneurs in particular face major challenges in the field of business start-up, takeover and development. The entrepreneurs are at the beginning of their entrepreneurship; the moment to choose the direction of their path.

Usable as story board

In addition to being a tool for developing the business plan, the worksheet is also suitable as a story board to make the ideas and ambition of the entrepreneur and farm clear to relevant parties such as family, investors and government organizations.

More information

- Video (with EN subtitles): https://youtu.be/-7lLglIIQiQ

- Worksheet of the future (pdf): https://edepot.wur.nl/283951

Het ‘Werkblad van de Toekomst’ is een blad van een meter breed en vijf meter lang waar deelnemers een dag aan werken. Het is een zorgvuldig gefaseerd proces waarbij deelnemers stap voor stap met essentiële onderdelen, voor persoonlijke- en bedrijfsontwikkelingen, aan de slag gaan.

Van droombeeld naar actieplan

Deelnemers leggen ze met het werkblad een droombeeld vast voor hun bedrijf, tien jaar in de toekomst. In een aantal stappen gaan aan de slag om creatieve en innovatieve ideeën te combineren in een stap richting het bedrijf van de toekomst. Voordat er aan het droombedrijf gewerkt wordt zijn er onderdelen die naar de wortels van het bedrijf/familie kijken en naar de ambities en drijfveren van de deelnemer. Hiermee werkt het werkblad onder andere aan onderwerpen als samenwerken binnen familieverband, omgevingsgericht ondernemen, het ontdekken van persoonlijke drijfveren, het formuleren van een oplossingsvraag, het vastleggen van een actie- en stappenplan, etc.

Zeker voor nieuwe intreder

Kernkwaliteit van het ‘Werkblad van de Toekomst’-principe is dat de ondernemers de handvatten krijgen om hun ambities om te zetten in praktische acties. Juist nieuwe agrarische ondernemers hebben grote uitdagingen op het gebied van bedrijfsstart, -overname en -ontwikkeling.

Bruikbaar als praatplaat

Naast een hulpmiddel om het bedrijfsplan te ontwikkelen is het werkblad ook geschikt als praatplaat om het verhaal en de ambitie van ondernemer en bedrijf duidelijk te maken naar relevante partijen zoals familie, investeerders en overheidsorganisaties

Meer informatie

- Video (met EN ondertiteling): https://youtu.be/-7lLglIIQiQ

- Werkblad van de toekomst (pdf): https://edepot.wur.nl/283951

Everlasting bonds are loans that never have to be repaid. A foundation issues bonds of a certain amount and citizens can buy a bond from the foundation. Citizens become co-owners of the company. The foundation uses this money to purchase certain means of production, such as land, buildings or machines.

In the contract between the bondholder and the farmer, it is agreed that the farmer pays a certain rate of return and thereby acquires the right to use the financed resources. The return that the farmer offers can be different. A farmer can pay out a financial return (money), or pay in kind (products from the farm) or social returns (an annual dinner for bondholders).

Making citizens co-owners of the company has the advantage that citizens feel extra involved and are therefore more inclined to invest. At the same time, maintaining the group of investors is expensive: a lot of time and energy is spent on acquisition, communication and registration.

Everlasting bonds are often tradable, but are usually not repurchased by the foundation that issues them. That would mean that the foundation is always responsible for finding new buyers for the bonds. Therefore, the holder of the everlasting bond often has to find a new buyer on its own.

This works for farmers who need to finance land, buildings and machinery. They consider the use of these resources more important than the possession of them. You attract investors with a friendly profile of the farm and a farmer who is able to mobilize people. Low interest rates on savings accounts also help.

More examples of financing structures and an example of a company with perpetual bonds can be found in this brochure (NLD): https://edepot.wur.nl/511501.

Eeuwigdurende obligaties zijn leningen die nooit terugbetaald hoeven te worden. Een stichting geeft obligaties uit van een bepaald bedrag. Burgers kunnen een obligatie kopen van de stichting. Hiermee worden burgers mede-eigenaar van het bedrijf. De stichting koopt met dit geld bepaalde productiemiddelen aan, zoals grond, gebouwen of machines.

In het contract tussen obligatiehouder en de boer wordt overeengekomen dat de boer een bepaald rendement betaalt en dat hij of zij daarmee het recht op het gebruik van de gefinancierde middelen krijgt. Het rendement dat de boer aanbiedt, kan verschillend zijn. Een boer kan van financieel rendement (geld) uitkeren, of in natura betalen (producten van de boerderij). Ook sociaal rendement kan - een jaarlijks diner voor obligatiehouders bijvoorbeeld.

Burgers mede-eigenaar van het bedrijf maken, heeft als voordeel dat burgers zich extra betrokken voelen en daarmee eerder geneigd zijn te investeren. Tegelijkertijd is het onderhouden van de groep investeerders kostbaar: er gaat veel tijd en energie zitten in de acquisitie, communicatie en registratie.

Eeuwigdurende obligaties zijn vaak verhandelbaar, maar worden meestal niet teruggekocht door de stichting die ze uitgeeft. Dat zou namelijk betekenen dat de stichting altijd verantwoordelijk is voor het vinden van nieuwe kopers van de obligaties. Daarom moet de houder van de eeuwigdurende obligatie vaak zelf een nieuwe koper vinden.

Dit werkt voor boeren die behoefte hebben aan het financieren van grond, gebouwen en machines. Meer voorbeelden: https://edepot.wur.nl/511501.

Crowdfunding is a new way of attracting investors. Crowdfunding works as follows: you have a clear business plan, you make clear what for you need funds and that you can repay the loan. This can also be done without the help of a specialized crowdfunding platform.

Crowdfunding is ideal for farmers who need land, buildings or working capital and find it difficult to finance it themselves. When setting up your own campaign, you must have an excellent network and good communication skills. You have to keep your administration for all the investors and pay interest and repayment on time.

CSA the Nieuwe Ronde

Gardeners Pieter Lammerts and Klaas Nijhoff each grow vegetables on their own field for the members of the Nieuwe Ronde (500 members in this self-harvesting garden).

Neighbours land was for sale. Pieter needed € 100,000 for almost 1 hectare of land. He knocked on the door of his members. The investors could choose their own interest rate, between 0 and 3%. On average we came to a low total interest rate of 1.3% with a term of 10 years. If the investors need the money, they can ask it back. On the other hand, Pieter can also choose whether I pay off earlier. In order to limit the administrative burden, investors could participate in portions of 250 euros, and you only receive interest from 1,000 euros onwards.

More examples of financing constructions and business examples can be found in this brochure (NLD): https://edepot.wur.nl/511501 and in a video (EN subtitles): https://youtu.be/mOqAqh3EzTg from CSA De Nieuwe Ronde with more information about this type of financing.

Crowdfunding is een nieuwe manier van investeerders aantrekken. Crowdfunding werkt als volgt: je hebt een helder bedrijfsplan, je maakt duidelijk waarvoor je financiering zoekt en dat jij de lening kan aflossen. Dit kan ook zonder de hulp van een gespecialiseerd platform.

Crowdfunding is ideaal voor boeren die behoefte hebben aan grond, gebouwen of werkkapitaal en het lastig zelf kunnen financieren. Bij het opzetten van je eigen campagne moet je een uitstekend netwerk en goede communicatieve vaardigheden hebben. Je moet voor veel inleggers je administratie bijhouden en op tijd rente en aflossing betalen.

CSA De Nieuwe Ronde

Tuinders Pieter Lammerts en Klaas Nijhoff telen elk op een eigen akker groenten voor de leden van de Nieuwe Ronde. Op deze zelfoogsttuin zijn ruim 500 leden van vereniging De Nieuwe Ronde.

Er kwam naastgelegen grond te koop. Pieter Lammerts had € 100.000 nodig voor bijna 1 hectare grond. Hij klopte aan bij zijn leden. De leners konden zelf hun rentepercentage kiezen, tussen de 0 en 3%. Gemiddeld komt Pieter op een lage totaalrente van 1,3% bij een looptijd van 10 jaar. Als de inleggers het geld nodig hebben, kunnen ze het terugvragen. Daar staat tegenover dat Pieter ook zelf mag kiezen of hij eerder aflost. Om de administratieve last te beperken konden burger deelnemen in porties van 250 euro, en krijg je pas rente vanaf 1.000 euro.

Meer voorbeelden van financieringsconstructies bedrijfsvoorbeelden zijn te vinden in deze brochure (NLD): https://edepot.wur.nl/511501. Een video (EN ondertiteld): https://youtu.be/mOqAqh3EzTg van CSA De Nieuwe Ronde met meer informatie over dit type financiering

Tineke van den Berg and Tom Saat have been running the Almere city farm since 1996 (organic farming and beef cattle). They rented about 100 ha from the municipality of Almere. The municipality of Almere noticed that the importance of the cityfarm for the citizens. However, it was not possible to obtain a lease for the land for longer than 1 year because the municipality argued that they might need the land one day in the future. This hampered the development of the company. The entrepreneurs set up the Friends of Urban Agriculture Almere Foundation, in which they brought together people with many contacts and networks in local policy. Thanks to the efforts of this foundation, they eventually succeeded in converting the one-year contracts into long-term contracts.

How was this organized?

With the help of an ex alderman of the municipality who often came privately to the city farm and with the help of a resident who often came to the company as a volunteer, they set up the foundation. Representatives of parties with influence in Almere (The University of Applied Sciences, Nature Organizations, a former official of the municipality, etc.) were asked to represent the board. The aim of the Foundation was chosen more broadly: to promote urban agriculture. The Foundation eventually managed to organize meetings on the topic with with the incumbent alderman, who ensured that the contracts were adjusted.

Main recommendations:

- Perform a good stakeholder analysis aimed at parties that have an interest in your company and that have influence in local policy and governance

- Choose a goal for the foundation that is broader than just the company interest so that parties can link it to their own goals

- These kinds of processes require a long breath and patience.

Tineke van den Berg en Tom Saat runnen sinds 1996 de stadsboerderij van Almere. Ze huurden ongeveer 100 ha van de gemeente Almere waar zij hun agrarische bedrijf uitoefenden (Biologische akkerbouw en vleesvee) De gemeente Almere zag in de loop der jaren het belang van het bedrijf voor de burgers van Almere groeien. Toch lukte het maar niet om een huurcontract voor de grond van langer dan 1 jaar te krijgen omdat de gemeente de grond misschien ooit nodig zou hebben. De ondernemers hebben de Stichting vrienden van stadslandbouw Almere in het leven geroepen waarin ze mensen met veel bestuurlijke contacten en netwerken bij elkaar brachten. Door inzet van deze stichting is het uiteindelijk gelukt om de eenjarige contracten om te zetten naar langjarige contracten.

Hoe hebben zij het georganiseerd?

Met de hulp van een ex wethouder van de gemeente die vaak privé op de stadsboerderij kwam en met de hulp van een bewoner die als vrijwilliger veel op het bedrijf kwam hebben ze de stichting opgezet. Voor het bestuur zijn vertegenwoordigers van partijen met invloed in Almere gevraagd (De Hogeschool, Natuurorganisaties, een voormalig ambtenaar van de gemeente etc.) Het doel van de Stichting werd breder gekozen: het bevorderen van stadslandbouw. De Stichting is uiteindelijk in gesprek gegaan met de zittende wethouder en die heeft ervoor gezorgd dat de contracten werden aangepast.

Aanbevelingen en randvoorwaarden

- Doe een goede stakeholder analyse gericht op partijen die belang hebben bij jouw bedrijf en die bestuurlijke invloed hebben

- Kies voor de stichting een doel die breder is dan alleen het bedrijfsbelang zodat partijen het kunnen koppelen aan hun eigen doelen

- Bestuurlijk gaat het nu eenmaal langzamer dan op een bedrijf.

As farm businesses develop, many farmers are establishing a Limited company to farm through. The main reasons for this include;

• Ability to avail of the 12.5% corporation tax rate and build after tax funds

• Funds can be used within the business for further reinvestment and growth

• Company directors can set their own salary to match personal spending.

When a farmer decides to farm through a company, the company becomes the farmer and the individual becomes a director, shareholder, landlord, employee etc. The company becomes a separate legal entity, trading takes place through the company and profits belong to the company. When a farm is being established or undergoing rapid expansion there can be a large debt to be serviced annually. For an individual to make a €10,000 principle repayment, €22,333 profit is required due to a 52% tax liability. On the other hand a company has the ability to make the same principle payment from a profit of €11,429 as the tax liability is 12.5%.

The company structure can avail of most schemes/incentives available to individuals. Company directors can set a salary from the company to suit their needs. This salary is taxed at an individual’s tax rate. If the company is availing of assets owned by the director the owner is entitled to draw a director’s loan from the company as tax free. Greater pension contributions can be made.

Recommendations:

• The future of the farm needs to be carefully considered when making the decision to form a company.

• Forming a company becomes an option for a farm that has been established and undergone some growth but can be a useful tool for new entrants and existing farmers to grow and develop the business by freeing up more cash.

• Expert financial and legal advice should always be sought.

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The Teagasc “Farm Succession and Transfer Guide” is a workbook to guide farmers and farm families through the process of succession. The workbook was co-created with the input of farmers and all relevant professionals.

The workbook guides farmers and new entrants through the phases of ‘succession’, ‘inheritance’ and ‘farm transfer’. It begins with identification of a successor and works through to the final transfer of assets from one generation to the next. It is a useful tool for both family farm succession and non-family farm succession. Crucially it raises some issues that are often overlooked such as communication with all family members and adoption of their views.

The guide strives to:

• Provide a methodical approach to succession

• Assist in dealing with all interested parties emotions

• Provide all possible options

• Identify the key facts and issues

• Identify the professional assistance required

There are several chapters (First steps, Profile of Farm, Profile of Family Members, Management Responsibilities, Communication, Farm Transfer, Farm Succession Plan) in the workbook with a guide to bring users to their starting point depending on their situation.

The workbook subtly encourages farmers and successors to have open conversations and introduces concepts such as the “Communication Iceberg” which places large emphasis on the underlying feelings around the topic of succession.

It is recommended that this workbook be utilised as the conversation starter around farm succession which can be very difficult to initiate.

The “Farm Succession and Transfer Guide” can be accessed here; https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2015/Farm-Succession-….

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Access to farm labour is a major hurdle faced by many farmers and in the current Covid-19 pandemic. The regional farm labour database was setup to link farmers in urgent need of labour with skilled workers at a local level. The database was setup by Teagasc and the Farm Relief Service (FRS) and is supported by farm organisations.

Rural dwellers and farmers with the ability to help with any aspect of running a farm were invited to register on the database. If a local farmer becomes ill and requires help running their farm they will be linked with those registered on the database. A contact number was made available for each of the twelve Teagasc advisory regions for those looking to register on the database:

https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/news/2020/regionalfarmlabourdata.php

Many farmers are the sole employee on their farms and each farm is unique in terms of the procedures adopted. The Covid 19 pandemic has further highlighted the vulnerability of farmers should they become ill or get injured. It is important that structures are in place to support farmers and assist with the procurement of relief labour. This can be especially true of new entrants who carry out extra work themselves as the business develops and is not in a position to pay for extra labour.

Recommendations:

• The database will greatly increase the number of operatives available to the FRS should a spike in demand for their services be experienced due to the pandemic.

• The database increases certainty for farmers who may become ill as a result of the pandemic.

• It is recommended that all farms should have Standard Operating Procedures documented so that new employees/relief workers can successfully complete tasks at short notice if required.

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Many taxation incentives have been provided to encourage farm succession and land transfer in Ireland.

The main taxes involved in land ownership transfer in Irish agriculture are:

1) Capital Gains Tax (transferor liable)

Tax (33%) on the increase in the value of the assets such as land, buildings etc.

2) Stamp Duty (transferree liable)

Tax applied on the transfer of land, buildings, commercial property or dwellings. The current rate for land is 7.5% which varies for residential/non residental property.

3) Capital Acquisitions Tax (transferree liable)

This tax is levied at 33% of the total value of the gift/inheritance received.

There are a number of reliefs available from each of these taxes to incentivise land transfer to the younger generation.

The reliefs available are:

1) Capital Gains Tax

Retirement Relief for farmers who are at least 55 and have farmed for 10 years.

Indexation Relief applies to land purchased pre-2003.

Entrepeneur Relief reduces liability to 10%.

2) Stamp Duty

Young Trained farmer Stamp Duty relief is available to active young farmers (<35yrs).

Consanguinity relief available on transfers between blood relatives.

Farm Consolidation relief on the sale and purchase of land to consolidate holdings.

3) Capital Acquisitions Tax

Agricultural relief which reduces land valuation by 90%.

Business relief may apply where agricultural relief does not.

See www.revenue.ie for further details.

Recommendations:

These taxation reliefs have a positive impact on land transfer. They should be maintained and promoted to further progress generational renewal, increasing competitiveness of the agricultural industry.

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The Farm Relief Service network is a co-operative established in 1980 to provide skilled labour to farmers throughout Ireland. The FRS network has grown and diversified providing farm services/labour, fencing, recruitment, the Herdwatch app and training from 20 offices nationwide.

The FRS can provide a range of services on farms most notably relief milking and general farm labour such as animal husbandry and machinery operation.

Operatives have been fully trained and evaluated and are covered by insurance before coming onto a farm. Farmers pay a flat rate per hour for the services provided with all taxation and recruitment undertaken by FRS reducing the administration burden on the farmer.

The FRS also provides a range of specialised services to farmers such as hoof care, pregnancy scanning, freeze branding and dehorning of calves. The FRS has also diversified into fencing which can be a difficult and labour intensive task on farms.

Many Irish farmers use the FRS networks Herdwatch phone app to instantly record and register births, animal remedies, weights and breeding details, replacing paper records. Options to source relief labour when required on farm should be available to all farmers.

Recommendations:

• The FRS can help to significantly reduce the workload without committing to fulltime employment.

• These services are utilised by farmers in times of emergency, busy periods, during annual holidays and to facilitate social/family activities.

• Where farmers are overworked or have busy periods it can help to reduce farmer stress make the farm more sustainable.

• The provision of a service such as FRS can greatly benefit new entrants who would not have the resources to engage a direct employee.

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Contract heifer rearing has become a very popular collaborative arrangement in Ireland. Contract heifer rearing involves a farmer rearing the replacement dairy heifers for a dairy farmer. It enables both dairy farmers and contract rearing farmers to overcome a number of difficulties and increase their business output.

Advantages for the dairy farmer include;

• Increased land area available to milking cows

• Reduced labour requirement on the farm

• Greater return per hectare from milking cows

• Less groups of animals to manage

Advantage for the contract rearer include;

• Lower initial investment compared to beef farming

• Guaranteed monthly income for the duration of the contract

• Robust business plan when acquiring land or finance

• Removes beef price uncertainity and market volatility.

Contract heifer rearing can give stability to a new entrant farmer who would need a significantly greater investment to purchase stock when entering other livestock sectors. The contract offers a direct market access route for new entrants with a guaranteed income. It can also give new entrants access to new knowledge and skills under the guidance of the dairy farmer.

Contracts are drawn up on an individual basis as the arrangements differ, for example in some cases the rearer is responsible for breeding the animals while in others the dairy farmer assumes this responsibility.

Contracts should be promoted among both, established farmers who can streamline and increase productivity of their business and new entrants looking to enter agriculture.

Further information available at; https://www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/farm-management/collaborative-farm…

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As part of the rural development program (RDP III 2014-2020) the Flemish government set up the KRATOS program to offer advisory services to farmers. Available advice is divided in 14 categories, from business plan and management, to biodiversity and water.

For each category the Flemish government carefully picked advisory services that best fitted the theme. Farmers do not decide on the specific advisory service themselves. Each farmer is able to apply for each category once (with the exception of young farmers, who can apply for business model related categories twice). If an application is accepted, the farmer can benefit from a reduction of 80% on the price, which is provided by the government instead. Additional advice from the same service is not supported.

The entire rural development program is funded for 50% by the European Agricultural fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and for 50% by the Flemish government.

Local governments interested in providing advice for farmers can utilise the funds from EAFRD to set up a KRATOS-like system in their own region.

Een van de maatregelen voor plattelandsontwikkeling (RDP III 2014-2020) uitgevoerd door de Vlaamse overheid is het opzetten van de KRATOS subsidies voor professioneel advies. De adviesopties zijn onderverdeeld in 14 categorieën, van business plan en management, tot biodiversiteit en water.

Voor elke categorie selecteerde de Vlaamse overheid zorgvuldig de adviesorganen of bedrijven die het best aansloten bij elke categorie. Landbouwers kunnen niet zelf beslissen van welke organisatie ze advies wensen te ontvangen. Elke landbouwer kan éénmalig beroep doen op advies van elke categorie (met uitzondering van jonge landbouwers die op de categorieën over het business model twee keer beroep kunnen doen). Wanneer de applicatie wordt geaccepteerd, kan de landbouwer een korting tot 80% verkrijgen. Extra advies nadien wordt niet ondersteund.

Het programma voor plattelandsontwikkeling wordt voor 50% gefinancierd door het Europees Landbouwfonds voor Plattelandsontwikkeling (EAFRD) en voor 50% door de Vlaamse overheid.

Lokale overheden die geïnteresseerd zijn in het voorzien van advies voor landbouwers kunnen financiering door EAFRD gebruiken om een systeem uit te werken naar het voorbeeld van KRATOS.

Recent developments in vertical or rooftop farming have made it clear that it is no longer something for the future. Several initiatives and companies are beginning to experiment with vertical farming in Belgium. Some are massive project with significant state funding, like BIG in Antwerp. Some are small start-ups looking to experiment with new products or production methods, like Urban Harvest in Brussels. Some key challenges are:

Location

Even though access to land is less of an issue, access to a facility is still difficult. Not all rooftops are suitable for farming and conventional facilities might be too large, too expensive or unsuitable for fresh produce (cooling).

Technology

Because vertical farming is new, ready-made solutions are still scarce and expensive. The Belgian team of Urban Harvest had to develop their own system because none were available that suited their specific needs. This had a large impact on their business model.

Marketing

Customers and retailers need to be convinced of the value of vertical farming to warrant the price tag. While organic farming can focus on nature and authenticity, vertical farming’s environmental advantages lie in reduced water and pesticide consumption, which could be seen as less authentic.

Recente ontwikkelingen in verticale landbouw geven aan dat het niet langer toekomstmuziek is. Verschillende initiatieven en bedrijven starten met experimenten omtrent de productie van landbouwproducten in de stedelijke omgeving of binnen in gebouwen. Sommige projecten zijn ambitieus en kunnen rekenen op staatsteun, zoals BIG in Antwerpen. Andere zijn kleine start-ups die experimenteren met nieuwe productiemethoden of producten, zoals Urban Harvest in Brussel. Een aantal uitdagingen blijven: Locatie

Hoewel vertikale landbouw minder grondgebonden is dan traditionele landbouw, is de toegang tot een geschikte locatie toch een uitdaging. Er zijn heel wat eisen waaraan een dak moet voldoen vooraleer het kan gebruikt worden en beschikbare loodsen voor de productie van verse producten zijn vaak te groot, te duur en/of ongeschikt.

Technologie

Omdat verticale landbouw nog zo nieuw is, is een kant-en-klare oplossing en infrastructuur nog moeilijk te vinden. Zo heeft het team van Urban Harvest hun eigen systeem moeten ontwikkelen omdat er geen beschikbaar waren op de markt die aansloten bij hun verwachtingen. Dit had een grote impact op hun businessmodel.

Marketing

Klanten en retailers moeten worden overtuigd van de meerwaarde van verticale landbouw om het, indien aanwezig, hogere prijskaartje te accepteren. Terwijl biologische landbouw kan rekenen op het natuurlijke en authenticiteit, ligt de waarde van verticale landbouw vooral in een verminderd verbruik van pesticiden en water.

Green care or social farming is a relatively new option for farmers willing to diversify their farming activities. In both Belgium and The Netherlands, it is getting increasingly popular, but emerging business models differ widely due to a difference in support policies.

In Belgium the support measures for green care are part of the budget of the department of Agriculture. It is widely viewed as an act of kindness towards people in need, rather than an alternative source of income. Farmers require no special education, although it is recommended. For each person that is being taken care of, the Belgian farmer receives €40. Many farmers claim that this does not equal the cost and effort of green care. Income from non-agricultural diversification, like social farming, cannot exceed 50% of farm income.

In The Netherlands the support measures of green care are part of the budget of the department of Health. As a result the compensation for green care is much higher than in Belgium. Additionally, more than 50% of the farm income can come from non-agricultural diversification. As such, some farmers opt to build a social farm, where the focus is almost entirely on green care, rather than agricultural production. Farmers willing to do this need to follow additional courses on health and nursery.

It important for local farming associations to make sure green care is taken seriously by the department of Health and seen as a genuine solution for many people.

Groene zorg is een relatief nieuwe optie voor landbouwers die hun landbouwactiviteiten willen diversifiëren. In zowel Nederland als België neemt het toe in populariteit maar door een verschil in beleidsvoering is er een sterk verschil tussen de uitwerking van de businessmodellen.

In België zijn de ondersteuningsmaatregelen voor groene zorg een onderdeel van de budgetten van het departement Landbouw. Door de beperking die dit zich met zich meebrengt, wordt groene zorg voornamelijk gezien als liefdadigheid voor mensen in de sociale sector en niet als een alternatieve inkomstbron. Voor het onderbrengen van personen in sociale zorg voorziet België een vergoeding van slechts €40 per persoon per dag. Landbouwers getuigen dat die onvoldoende is om alle kosten te dekken. Om recht te hebben op deze vergoeding mag het landbouwinkomen niet voor meer dan 50% afhankelijk zijn van niet-landbouwgerelateerde inkomsten.

In Nederland zijn de ondersteuningsmaatregelen voor groene zorg een onderdeel van de budgetten van het department Gezondheid. Als een gevolg is de compensatie voor landbouwers veel hoger dan in België. Daar komt bij dat in Nederland een landbouwbedrijf wel voor meer dan 50% van zijn inkomen afhankelijk mag zijn voor niet-landbouwgerelateerde inkomsten. Hierdoor kunnen landbouwers die dat wensen een professioneel sociaal landbouwbedrijf uitwerken dat voor een groot deel afhankelijk is van diversificatie.

Om het gebruik van sociale landbouw is stimuleren is het van cruciaal belang dat het nut ervan duidelijk gemaakt wordt aan het departement Gezondheid.

In Slovenia, there is a growing interest in urban beekeeping. With the support of the Municipality of Ljubljana, Bee Path was established in 2015, bringing together a network of innovative urban beekeepers, beekeeping associations and numerous cultural, educational and health organizations related to bees and beekeeping. It also represents a physical pathway that connects the city and the countryside. Visitors can experience active beekeeping processes, taste and buy honey and other types of bee products.

The aim of the established educational program is to raise awareness among various target groups, a think-tank (brain trust) or incubator for the development of new business ideas in the field of beekeeping and new bee products and services. The goal is to increase and develop beekeeping in the wider area of Ljubljana (training of beekeepers, support the development of activities, co-financing of beekeeping associations), development of beekeeping in the urban core of the city (raising awareness and educating citizens about the benefits and rules of urban beekeeping), development of new products, presentation of natural and cultural heritage related to urban beekeeping, preparation of various educational programs, etc.

Recommendations:

• Urban beekeeping offers opportunities for new entrants in agriculture to develop entrepreneurial ideas in beekeeping, bee products and services.

• The city can provide an innovative educational and production environment and bring nature closer to the urban population.

• The presence of beekeeping in urban centers raises awareness and educates the population and visitors about the importance of biodiversity conservation and the role of bees in ensuring local self-sufficiency.

V Sloveniji opažamo povečan interes za čebelarjenje tudi v urbanem prostoru. Ob podpori Mestne občine Ljubljana so leta 2015 vzpostavili Čebeljo pot, ki združuje mrežo inovativnih urbanih čebelarjev, posameznikov in številnih kulturnih, izobraževalnih in zdravstvenih organizacij, ki so povezani s čebelami in čebelarjenjem. Predstavlja tudi fizično pot, ki povezuje mesto in podeželje v celoto. Obiskovalci so priča aktivnim čebelarskim procesom, okušajo in kupujejo med in druge vrste čebeljih pridelkov. Vzpostavljen izobraževalni program je namenjen ozaveščanju različnih ciljnih skupin, predstavlja »think-tank« (možganski trust) oziroma inkubator za razvoj novih podjetniških idej na področju čebelarstva ter novih čebeljih pridelkov in storitev.

Cilj je povečanje in razvoj čebelarstva na širšem območju mesta Ljubljana (izobraževanje čebelarjev, nudenje pomoči za razvoj dejavnosti, sofinanciranje delovanja čebelarskih društev), razvoj čebelarjenja v urbanem jedru mesta (osveščanje in izobraževanje meščanov o dobrobiti in pravilih čebelarjenja v urbanem prostoru), novi turistični produkti s predstavitvijo naravne in kulturne dediščine povezane s čebelarjenjem , razvoj urbanih čebelnjakov, priprava različnih pedagoških programov.

Priporočila:

• Urbano čebelarjenje ponuja priložnosti za razvoj podjetniških idej novih pristopnikov v kmetijstvo na področju čebelarstva, čebeljih pridelkov in storitev.

• Tudi mesto lahko predstavlja inovativno izobraževalno in pridelovalno okolje in približa naravo urbanemu prebivalstvu.

• Prisotnost čebelarstva v mestnih središčih osvešča in izobražuje prebivalstvo o pomenu ohranjanja biodiverzitete in vlogi čebel pri zagotavljanju lokalne samooskrbe.

Since the average farm size in Slovenia is 6.9 ha UAA, quite often farms decide for on-farm income diversification. Legally, they can register a range of so called »supplementary activities on farm«. 4,473 farms (out total 70,000 in year 2017) registered 17,293 supplementary activities on farms (on average farms registered almost four activities).

The most frequently registered supplementary activity in Slovenia are services using agricultural and forestry machinery, equipment, tools and animals: one-half of farms with registered supplementary activities decided for this. Farms often register processing of farm products (milk, meat, vegetables, fruit, honey, herbs, forest fruits, forest assortments), and agritourism (more than 1,000 farms), etc.

Several new entrants generate an additional source of income with supplementary activities on farm after they had lost their job, when they were looking for different life-styles and new market opportunities as well. Further, the registration of supplementary activities on farms stimulates progressive entrepreneurship. The Rural Development Programme supports investments into (processing) equipment and facilities, education and training, etc.

Recommendations:

• Start using your resources (productive, human, financial) more rationally, work on added value, and generate an additional source of income with on-farm supplementary activities.

• On-farm diversification is well incorporated into short supply chains, rural tourism, and niche products development.

• In order to increase farm resilience, income diversification and direct marketing is needed.

• Supplementary activities on the farm contribute to networking in the local community, and also open new markets to new entrants.

Ker so kmetije v Sloveniji majhne (v povprečju obdelujejo 6,7 ha), se kmetje pogosto odločajo za pridobivanje dohodkov iz več virov (diverzifikacijo), in sicer z registriracijo t. i. dopolnilne dejavnosti na kmetiji. V letu 2017 je 4.473 kmetij (od skupaj 70.000) imelo registriranih 17,293 dopolnilnih dejavnosti. V povprečju so registrirali štiri različne dejavnosti.

Največkrat registrirana dopolnilna dejavnost so storitve s kmetijsko in gozdarsko mehanizacijo, opremo, orodjem in živalmi – za to se je odločila polovica kmetij z registiranimi dopolnilnimi dejavnostmi na kmetiji. Kmetje pogosto registrirajo tudi predelavo kmetijskih proizvodov (mleko, meso, zelenjava, sadje, med, zelišča, gozdni sadeži) ter turizem na kmetiji.

Zaradi izgube službe, v želji po drugačnem življenjskem slogu ali v iskanju novih podjetniških priložnosti, novi pristopniki v kmetijstvo pogosto ustvarijo dodaten vir dohodka z dopolnilnimi dejavnostmi na kmetiji. Dopolnilne dejavnosti tudi spodbujajo postopni razvoj podjetništva. To je z naložbami v (predelovalno) opremo, objekte, izobraževanje in usposabljanje podprto tudi s strani Programa razvoja podeželja

Priporočila:

• Smotrna raba virov na kmetiji (naravni, človeški in finančni), ustvarjanje dodane vrednosti in dodatnega dohodka z dopolnilmi dejavnostmi na kmetiji.

• Z diverzifikacijo dejavnosti na kmetiji je lažje vključevanje v kratke oskrbne verige, razvoj turizma na kmetiji in nišnih produktov.

• Za večjo prožnost kmetije je ključna diverzifikacija dohodka in neposredno trženje.

• Dopolnilne dejavnosti na kmetiji prispevajo k mreženju v lokalni skupnosti, novim pristopnikom pa odpirajo nove tržne poti.

The Organic School Garden Program provides children and youth with direct experience with food production, understanding the production process, ensuring self-sufficiency, and learning basic approaches to organic agriculture and permaculture.

In the ten years of the program, 368 educational institutions have participated in Organic School Garden Network, and about 100 are currently active. Many schools, mentors, have developed a network of activities related to the organic school garden that they are expanding year by year. The Association Organic Gardens for Education (AOGE) offers comprehensive support to mentors and educational institutions through the program: regular training, achievement of standards and exchange of experiences. For greater public visibility and more efficient transfer of experiences and good practices between mentors and schools, AOGE and the University of Ljubljana have developed the application Organic School Garden (https://arcg.is/00SXLi).

Recommendations:

• Promotion and education about the importance of organic food production.

• Organic school garden program has begun to promote innovative pedagogical approaches in the "outdoor classroom" in Slovenian educational institutions, and various activities related.

• Necessary to continuously train teachers or mentors. Success is ensured through the participation of teachers and educators, non-teaching staff and the local community.

• Already established cooperation of educational institutions with farmers can be further strengthened.

• It urgently needs systemic support for its operation and development, which is planned within the framework of the Action Plan for the Development of Organic Agriculture to 2027.

Program Šolski ekovrtovi omogoča otrokom in mladim neposredno izkušnjo pridelave hrane, razumevanje procesa pridelave, zagotavljanja samooskrbe in seznanjanje z osnovnimi pristopi v ekološkem kmetovanju in permakulturi.

V desetih letih izvajanja programa je v Mreži šolskih ekovrtov sodelovalo 368 vzgojno-izobraževalnih zavodov (VIZ), trenutno jih je aktivnih okoli 100. Številne šole, mentorji, so v povezavi s šolskim ekovrtom razvili mrežo dejavnosti, ki jo iz leta v leto nadgrajujejo. Društvo Šolski ekovrtovi (DŠEV) mentorjem in VIZ s programom nudi vsestransko podporo: redno izobraževanje, doseganje standardov in izmenjavo izkušenj. Za večjo javno prepoznavnost, učinkovitejši prenos izkušenj in dobrih praks med mentorji in šolami, sta DŠEV in Univerza v Ljubljani zasnovala aplikacijo Šolski ekovrtovi (https://arcg.is/00SXLi).

Priporočila:

• Promocija in izobraževanje o pomenu ekološke pridelave hrane.

• Program Šolski ekovrtovi je v slovenskih VIZ pričel spodbujati inovativne izobraževalne pristope v »učilnici v naravi«, različne aktivnosti, vezane na šolski ekovrt, pa učitelje in otroke vzgajajo v ozaveščene državljane in potrošnike.

• Nujno je neprestano izobraževanje učiteljev oz. mentorjev. Uspeh zagotavlja sodelovanje učiteljev in vzgojiteljev, nepedagoškega osebja na VIZ in lokalne skupnosti.

• Že vzpostavljeno sodelovanje VIZ s kmeti je možno še okrepiti: obiski ekoloških kmetij, svetovanje kmetov pri delu na vrtovih, še zlasti pa povečanje odkupa hrane z okoliških kmetij. Obstajajo velike možnosti povezovanja z novimi pristopniki.

• Za svoje delovanje in razvoj nujno potrebuje sistemsko podporo, ki se načrtuje v okviru Akcijskega načrta za razvoj ekološkega kmetijstva do leta 2027.

In public institutions in Slovenia (schools, elderly homes, hospitals, etc.), we have well-organized kitchens and represents a significant proportion of consumers and a potential market for farmers. In order to ensure quality nutrition, supply from short chains is recommended, for which physical and social proximity is crucial. For physical proximity, the shortest possible transport route is important and for social proximity, the relationship that is established between the farmer and the consumer is essential.

New entrants are included in the supply of public institutions individually or through short supply chains. The most successful model in Slovenia is organization in the form of a cooperative (e.g. Cooperative Jarina, www.jarina.si). Public institutions are obliged to comply with public procurement rules, but there are various available national measures to support short supply chains. In the future, due to unstable situation on the world market, we can expect the raising importance of short supply chains.

Recommendations:

- Promoting short supply chains with a mandatory share of local food in public institutions.

- Networking of new entrants for joint enter to the market (e.g. within a cooperative) to ensure sufficient quantities, better logistics and a competitive price.

- Building trust between the farmer/farmers' organization and the public institution is crucial for long-term cooperation.

- The bottom-up approach and the pro-active role of the farmer to gradually achieve increased ordering of locally produced food at the local level.

- Establishment of a model for monitoring the origin of food in public institutions.

- Promotion and education of nutrition managers in pubic institutions as well as consumers.

V javnih zavodih v Sloveniji (šole, vrtci, domovi za starejše, bolnišnice ipd.) imamo dobro organizirano javno prehrano in so zato pomemben porabnik hrane, za kmete pa potencialen trg. Z namenom zagotovitve kakovostne prehrane se priporoča dobava iz kratkih prehranskih verig, za katero sta ključna fizična in socialna bližina. Pri fizični bližini je pomembna čim krajša transportna pot hrane, pri socialni bližini pa je ključen odnos, ki se vzpostavi med pridelovalcem in porabnikom.

Novi pristopniki v kmetijstvo se v oskrbo javnih zavodov vključujejo individualno ali preko kratkih prehranskih verig. Najuspešnejši model v Sloveniji je organiziranost v obliki zadruge (npr. Zadruga Jarina, www.jarina.si). Čeprav so javni zavodi obvezani k upoštevanju pravil javnega naročanja, lahko države z različnimi spodbudami nanje tudi neposredno vplivajo. V prihodnosti zaradi nestabilnih razmer na svetovnem trgu pričakujemo, da se bo pomen kratkih prehranskih verig še okrepil.

Praktična priporočila:

- Spodbujanje kratkih prehranskih verig z obveznim deležem lokalne hrane v javnih zavodih.

- Povezovanje novih pristopnikov in skupen nastop na trgu (npr. v okviru zadruge), da se zagotovi dovolj velike količine, logistiko in konkurenčno ceno.

- Ključen je razvoj zaupanja med kmetom in javnim zavodom, kar bo omogočilo dolgotrajno sodelovanje.

- Pristop od spodaj navzgor in pro-aktivna vloga kmeta, da se na lokalni ravni postopoma doseže povečano naročanje lokalno pridelane hrane.

- Vzpostavitev modela spremljanja porekla hrane v javnih zavodih.

- Promocija in izobraževanje vodij prehrane v javnih zavodih kot tudi potrošnikov.

If you want to become a farmer but you don't have a business, who would you give a chance? Three newcomers have been given this opportunity at the Eyckenstein estate in Maartensdijk. Why did the estate do that?

Solution

It started 15 years ago when the gardener of the historic vegetable garden retired. A year later, Luuk Schouten came up with the plan to start Tuinderij Eyckenstein at this location. The market garden rents out part of the land to Agnes Kruiden. This makes her the second new entrant to the estate. With the third newcomer, Boerderij Eyckenstein, something similar occurred as by the horticulture business; a tenant farmer left.

The arrival of the three newcomers provides the estate with more than just the lease. Their way of farming the estate is appreciated by the government and grant providers. The direct sales model also ensures connection with the local community. But above all, the three newcomers fit well with the vision of the estate of a more responsible agriculture.

Practical recommendations

Approach estate owners with your plans for a sustainable agricultural business. These plans may fit in with their vision for the management of the estate. Estate owners are sometimes also willing to settle for a lower lease price in the first years and thus subsidise your company.

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Problem

Do you want to start as an (organic) farmer or horticulturist?

Do you want to take over a sustainable farm business?

Do you want to transfer your company, within or outside your family?

Do you want to talk to one other about starting or taking over?

How do you do that?

Solution

Good agreements are fundamental. Many promising acquisitions fail due to differences in expectations. The company takeover roadmap helps you to maintain an overview and to enter the takeover process well prepared.

Practical recommendations

• It always turns out differently than you think. That's okay, make the journey with enthusiasm and perseverance!

• Choose an independent supervisor so that everything is discussed properly, even the difficult subjects.

• Break down the process into pieces. Stay calm and give direction to phases with decision points, both for the transferor and the transferee.

• Make clear agreements about the living arrangements: which family can live onsite and when? Living arrangements can be an unexpectedly difficult discussion.

• Celebrate and take care of your cooperation. Also do fun things together. A party - for example with customers - is an important step in the process.

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Problem

You would like to become a farmer, but you cannot take over a farm within the family and you do not have the financial means to buy a farm. In addition, you are reluctant to work on the company on your own and would like to become part of a community.

Solution

Become a farmer at Herenboeren, an organization where local consumer cooperatives hire a farmer to produce meat, vegetables and fruit for them. There is a one-year training program from Herenboeren. This training program includes farmers from the seven existing locations and people who want to become farmers in new locations. Every farmer makes a personal programme - what can I do well and what can I not yet do? The meetings are about diseases & pests, animal management, land use, fertilisation, mechanisation. There is also time for reflection on your role in the cooperative and how do you deal with cooperative members. There is a meeting one day a month plus one day of self-study.

Practical recommendations

• You enjoy working with volunteers;

• You are organised;

• You have good communication skills;

• You can visualise what the location will look like;

• You don't mind that the final decisions are made by others.

For more information: Ekoland, June 2020

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Problem

Three women - Angelien, Welmoet and Linde, also called ‘the vegetable girls’ – wanted to start their own vegetable farm but had no land and no equipment.

Solution

They started a new vegetable farm within the existing arable farm of André Jurrius. André has arable products for the wholesale trade, but through the market garden he now also has a share of local sales. The most important reason for working together is social contact and joint development. “In the beginning it was pretty lonely here as an organic producer. I was searching for some support. The girls were looking for a piece of land and we had enough land available. Then you just do it. Collaboration. In my opinion, we are strengthened by this.”

Practical recommendations

· You can get in each other’s way. “The market garden often gets more weeds than we get from the arable farming, so there is always a bit of ‘heritage’ that appears.”

· Working together ensures that the business runs more easily. “If there is something they need, I am there for them, and vice versa.”

· Social contact: “When you are having a coffee, you have a room full of people. That brings liveliness and positivity.”

For more information:

http://www.newbie-academy.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Ekoland-2018-11…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=215&v=ntEPqQUwD8k&feature=e…

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Pieter Lammerts en Klaas Nijhof grow vegetables on their fields for 500 members of the self-harvesting garden “de Nieuwe ronde”. Their members pay before the season their yearly contribution and are allowed to harvest any crop during the season themselves. When neighbouring land came for sale, Pieter had to act fast. He needed to raise €100.000 for 1 ha within 3 months. He focussed on their dedicated members and about 50 of their 400 members lend him the money.

I own the land, the members provide the loan with a runtime of 10 years. They may choose the interest rate themselves (between 0 and 3%) which resulted in an average interest rate of 1.3%. They can ask it back anytime, if I want to pay off the loan earlier that is possible as well.

Members could participate in parts of 250€ and interest was only paid from 1000€ onwards. I used professionals to draw up the contracts to make them legally and fiscally sound. I organised an information evening for our members and produced a small flyer with all necessary information.

In this case limited but this might be different for other cases. The appreciation I got from the members was special. The result was a much cheaper loan compared to the possibilities with a bank or a crowdfunding platform and much more fun to organize it. The relationship with the members has strengthened. I would advise this to any farmer.

Recommendations:

• You need your own network, you may only organize this within a closed group (NL) otherwise it will be considered an illegal fund;

• Use fixed parts of loans and make use of a professional for the contracts;

• Leave the interest rate open for discussion, relations are often willing to accept a low interest rate.

More info: https://edepot.wur.nl/511501

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In a family business you are a colleague, partner, father, son, daughter, nephew, niece, father-in-law, uncle, aunt, boss, employee, company manager, head of department, instructor and much more. These relationships are intertwined and simultaneous. That is sometimes confusing: during the day, in a conversation with the accountant you are business partners and in the evening on the couch, you are father and son. In the morning you discuss the weekly schedule and in the evening you visit a sick aunt together. But… how do you keep those roles and positions separate?

Solution

Dealing with differences is a skill that you can learn as a person, transferor and successor. Differences are always there and do not necessarily need to lead to disagreement. Entering into a conversation with a predetermined position and no intention to change that position, may lead to conflict. Opening yourself up to other perspectives can result in the best of multiple views being forged into a common agreement.

Practical recommendations

● Be as clear as possible in your expectations and your experiences.

● Be attentive to, and have respect and acknowledge all those involved.

● Do not start a debate, but organise a dialogue.

● Exchange experiences and inform each other about what you have heard and learnt elsewhere.

● Be aware that communication is about wishes and interests rather than opinions.

For more information (in Dutch): https://edepot.wur.nl/240915.

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For many start up farmers, finding land is very challenging. Purchasing land is often beyond the financial capabilities of a young farmer. Consequently, lease or rental is much more common. This is often in the form of a one-year contract that gives little security and makes it difficult for farmers to plan for the future.

The model, used by ‘The Mobile Garden’ is to work on several plots of loaned land. In exchange of the land use, the owners receive a portion (10%) of the harvest in-kind. Because the farmed plots are not fixed the farmers can in theory work on different plots every season, making their farm mobile.

They have been offered land at many locations and from many different owners. Now they even have a waiting list.

Practical recommendations for using this model:

• An extended network

• Good social skills

• Good at publicity

• Only use land where you want it

• Invest in the relationship with the owner

• Do not make big plans for the land or make big investments the first time you can use it. If the relationship with the owner doesn’t work it is a waste of time and money.

Read more in our practice description via http://www.newbie-academy.eu/publications/

Voor veel startende boeren is het vinden van land een grote uitdaging. Grond kopen gaat vaak verder dan de financiële mogelijkheden van een jonge boer. Daarom komt pacht veel vaker voor. Dit heeft vaak de vorm van een contract van een jaar dat weinig zekerheid biedt en het voor boeren moeilijk maakt om hun bedrijf te ontwikkelen.

Het model, gebruikt door ‘De Mobiele Gaard’, is bedoeld om op verschillende percelen geleend land te werken. In ruil voor het landgebruik ontvangen de eigenaren een deel (10%) van de oogst in natura. Omdat de landbouwpercelen niet zijn vastgesteld, kunnen de boeren in theorie elk seizoen op verschillende percelen werken, waardoor hun boerderij mobiel is.

Ze hebben op veel locaties en van veel verschillende eigenaren grond aangeboden gekregen. Nu hebben ze zelfs een wachtlijst.

Praktische aanbevelingen voor het gebruik van dit model:

• Een uitgebreid netwerk

• Goede sociale vaardigheden

• Goed in publiciteit

• Gebruik alleen land waar je het wilt

• Investeer in de relatie met de eigenaar

• Maak geen grote plannen voor het land of doe geen grote investeringen de eerste keer dat je het kunt gebruiken. Als de relatie met de eigenaar niet werkt, is dit een verspilling van tijd en geld.

Lees meer in onze praktijkbeschrijving via http://www.newbie-academy.eu/publications/

The Teagasc Options Programme is an annual series of demand-led workshops run nationwide in each of the twelve advisory regions. Workshops provide attendees with knowledge, encouraging the formation of new ideas leading to the generation of additional income. The aims of the Programme are;

• Build belief and ambition for growth and change

• To outline the supposrts available

• To breakdown some of the common barriers associated with farm diversification and business formation

• Introduce and facilitate networking with agencies that can assist new entrants to develop their business idea

Options courses provide information and support on a wide range of alternative enterprises for farmers and rural dwellers, such as;

• Renewable energy

• Rural tourism

• Food production

• Horticulture

Each workshop comprises a guest speaker who has setup a business as well as speakers from Teagasc and other agencies e.g. local rural development agencies. The workshops are interactive facilitating discussion and questions from the audience and is followed by a networking session. The workshops are available to the public, free of charge and are generally attended by prospective new entrants, established farmers looking to diversify and farmers looking to make the farm a viable option for their successor. Workshops are typically run in the evenings enabling part-time farmers to attend.

Further information is available at;

https://www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/rural-development/options-programm…

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Collaborative farming is an important mechanism to enable new entrants to develop a career in agriculture, while protecting the income and assets of the landowners. Collaborative arrangements include; farm partnerships, long term land leasing, share farming and contract heifer rearing. The provision of support is essential in increasing uptake of these measures.

Teagasc, the Irish agricultural and food development authority supports advisors and farmers through the provision of a specialised advisor. The specialised advisor provides support through;

• Working directly with farmers and their advisor

• Providing training to advisory staff

• Provision of training and information materials

• Attending and speaking at national and regional events

• Engaging with industry stakeholders and policy makers

The specialised advisor is a member of the Farm Management and Rural Development department working closely with and training advisors in the 12 advisory regions. Interaction takes place with over 1,000 farmers/new entrants each year in relation to collaboration and succession and inheritance. The specialised nature of the role ensures that local advisors, who may only encounter a small number of collaborative arrangements and farm transfers per year, have access to expert knowledge and skills.

Collaboration is important for the social and structural improvement of the industry, the specialised advisor promotes collaboration through attending a range of events and engaging directly with farmers. Lectures are delivered to agricultural students at agricultural colleges and other third level institutions.

https://www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/farm-management/collaborative-farm…

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Share farming is a collaborative farming model that allows a new entrant farmer who has no access to land to become involved in a farm business. Typically land and infrastructure is supplied by the land owner, labour by the new entrant and stock/inputs by either party or both parties. The shareholding in the business is dependent on the contribution of each party.

The new entrants assume a level of responsibility and shares in the risk/reward associated with the business. The landowner acquires an additional labour unit who is greatly incentivised to maximise performance and returns, while the new entrant embarks on a process that in some instances can eventually lead to farm ownership.

For existing farmers acquiring farm labour can be difficult and retention levels can be low. Share farming has the potential to mitigate these issues, as the young farmer has future aspirations and much more than just a weekly wage to gain from the farm.

New entrants invest and build their equity in the business over a period of time, gradually building up the resources to re-invest in their own farm business and/or land.

There are numerous forms of share farming arrangement in operation with each tailored to the requirements of both parties and the business. It is estimated that there are up to 100 share farming arrangements involving new entrants currently in operation. Share farming arrangements should be promoted and encouraged as they offer access routes for new entrants and stability for land owners.

Further information; https://www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/farm-management/collaborative-farm…

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Long-term land leasing has been used as a land access mechanism in Ireland since the 1990’s, with the popularity of long term leasing continuing to grow year on year. The popularity of long term land leasing for the landowner stems from;

• Income tax and capital gains tax relief available

• Long term stability and income security

• Incentivises leasee to maintain and improve land

• Opportunity to step back from the farm

Taxation reliefs are significant and work to promote long term leasing among landowners, creating opportunities for new entrants to acquire land and existing farmers to grow their businesses. A lease of five to seven years in duration entitles each owner to earn €18,000/year tax free rising to 40,000 on a lease of 15 years or greater.

Popularity of long term land leasing among active farmers and new entrants can be attributed to;

• Security of tenure and ability to plan ahead

• Ability to expand existing holding

• Time to recoup investment in land and infrastructure

• More cost effective than land purchase

For the purposes of benefitting from the taxation incentives the lease must be a minimum of five years and can range up to 25 years and there can be no connection between the lessor(s) and lessee.

There were almost 9,800 long term leasing arrangements in operation in Ireland in 2017.

The Teagasc “Guidelines for Long Term Land Leasing” are available at: https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2019/Long-Term-Land-L…

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Farm partnerships are recognised as a mechanism of encouraging and enabling new entrants to enter agriculture.

There are two main partnership scenarios; within family where relatives enter a partnership and non-family where a partnership is formed with an unrelated person.

Farm partnerships are strongly supported by government policy and recognised for their positive impact on the structural and social demographics of the agricultural industry. Significant financial incentives are available to those who form registered farm partnerships. It allows for the lower tax band to be maximised while stock relief can be availed of by both the young trained farmer (up to €70,000) and the parents (up to €15,000). Succession farm partnerships are legally binding and set out a timeline for farm transfer while allowing a tax credit of €5,000 to be claimed for up to five years. Existing farmers coming together to form a partnership can avail of multiple payments under a number of area based and environmental schemes.

Where one member of the partnership meets the criteria, the Young Farmer Scheme and the Young Farmer National Reserve can be availed of. Where a targeted agricultural modernisation scheme grant is availed of the higher 60% grant aid can be obtained while a grant of up to €2,500 can be obtained towards partnership setup costs.

Further information: https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2019/Guidelines-to-fo…

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One of the key limitations for farmers who want to innovate their farm by radically changing its model is the financial burden from previous expansions. The farmer “Hof ter Meulen” faced this exact situation. He had taken over the farm from his father, taking a substantial loan to do so. Even though the first year of production was very good, the second one was catastrophically bad, so much so that he decided to try it a different way. At that time his main activities were conventional pig and young potato plant production. In a span of 10 years he started slowly decreasing his pig herd and managed to completely stop potato farming in only 4 years. With the pigs and potatoes no longer paying back the massive loan, the farmer looked for many alternative sources of income. He combined the following to great success (although the process itself saw many hurdles):

- B&B through the new AirB&B applications

- Local strawberry production (which is very rare in that region)

- Agroforestry

- Introduction of a very strong non-conventional pig breed with in-house butchery

- Short chain sales

- Farm store with own products and from others

This PA does not claim that changing from massive production to small scale sustainable production under financial pressure is easy, but rather that it is not impossible. More on their website (in Dutch) www.hoftermeulen.be

Eén van de belangrijkste barrières voor landbouwers om aan innovatie te doen die hun bedrijf radicaal verandert, is de financiele last van voorgaande investeringen. Dit is ook vaak het probleem van starters die net het bedrijf hebben overgenomen. Landbouwers Carl uit De Haan zat metzelfde probleem. Het eerste jaar van zijn productie na overname ging het zeer goed, maar het tweede was zo slecht dat hij besloot het over een andere boeg te gooien. Zijn bedrijf was voorla gefocused op conventionale varkens en aardappelpootgoed. Over een periode van 10 jaar bouwde hij zijn hoeveelheid varkens af en stopte zelfs volledig met aardappelpootgoed na 4 jaar. Uiteraard had hij wel alternatieve bronnen van inkomsten nodig om de investeringen af te betalen die recent nog gebeurd waren voor de varkensstal. Hij combineerde het volgende (met de nodige hordes):

• Een B&B via de applicatie AirBnB

• Korte keten aardbeienproductie (een zeldzaamheid in de polders)

• Agroforestry

• De verkoop van een robuust niet-conventioneel varkensras met eigen slacht

• Korte keten verkoop van groothandelproducten

• Eigen hoevewinkel

Deze PA claimt natuurlijk niet dat de omschakeling van massaproductie naar lage duurzame productie onder financiele last makkelijk is, maar het toont wel aan dat het soms mogelijk is. Meer info vind je op hun website: www.hoftermeulen.be

Digital services offer an opportunity for agriculture and more specifically for the development of more efficient and sustainable farms. New technologies are entering agriculture and seeking solutions to challenges such as declining workforce, higher productivity, lower costs, healthier food. Good examples on farms are increasing. This includes for example precision agriculture applied by large crop farms for satellite tracking and management of crop fields and machinery. Furthermore, digitization allows further development of greenhouses, where autonomous systems for drip irrigation, monitoring of temperature, humidity and soil, as well as additional lighting and heating systems collect, process and manage data. Digitization also has an opportunity for livestock farming. Robotization on livestock farms, such as the use of drones and sensors to monitor animal health, automated feeding and milking, reduce labor costs, increase productivity and quality standards.

Digital marketing with an online agricultural trading platform allows consumers to buy while staying at home directly from producers.

Digital funding through crowdfunding platforms is gaining momentum.

More: https://diagro.iae-bg.com/en/

Recommendations:

• Support for the acquisition and improvement of farmers' digital skills

• Encouraging active partnership farming - applied science - IT sector to find innovative solutions for changes in work, consumption and life

Challenges:

• The complexity of the system that generates digitalization. The more data, digital platforms, applications, tools and controls come into our lives, the more organizational skills and leadership social adaptability is required

• The cost of digitalisation

Бъдещето на земеделието и храните е насочено към дигиталните услуги с цел ефективно и устойчиво развитие на земеделските стопанства. Новите технологии навлизат в земеделието и се стремят да намерят решение за предизвикателства като намаляваща работна ръка, по-висока продуктивност, по-ниски разходи, по-здравословна храна. Добрите примери се увеличават:

• От прецизно земеделие при зърнопроизводители за сателитно следене на посеви и машини до

• оранжерии, където се събират, обработват и управляват данни за автономно управление на системи за капково напояване, следене на температура, влажност на въздуха и почвата, осветеност и отопление;

• Роботизацията в животновъдството като използване на дронове и датчици за следене състоянието на животните, автоматизирано хранене и доене намалява разходите за труд, повишава производителността и стандартите за качество

• Дигиталният маркетинг с платформи за онлайн търговия на земеделски продукти позволява потребителите да купуват, докато са вкъщи директно от производители

• Дигиталното финансиране с платформи за групово финансиране (crowdfunding) набира скорост.

Необходими мерки за насърчаване:

• Подкрепа за придобиване и усъвършенстване на дигиталните умения на фермерите

• Насърчаване на активно партньорство фермерство – приложна наука – ИТ сектор за иновативни решения за промени в работата, потреблението, живота.

Предизвикателствата:

• Сложността на системата, която генерира цифровизацията. Колкото повече данни, цифрови платформи, приложения, инструменти и контрол навлизат в живота ни, толкова повече организационни умения и лидерска социална адаптивност са необходими.

• Цената на дигитализацията – могат ли фермерите да си я позволят.

North Aston Dairy is an organic “micro dairy” in Oxfordshire with a herd of 12 Ayrshire cows. They provide home delivery milk in glass bottles and make yoghurt and ice cream via a community supported agriculture scheme. They also market their retired cows as high value cuts to their consumers. When the farm requires capital investments, like a new dairy parlour, the farm turns to their customers for a loan rather than a bank. They offer an interest payment that is equivalent or slightly higher to most low-risk savings accounts, providing an additional incentive to their customers. For the farm, the loan rate is far superior to what they could achieve through traditional lenders. In addition, their customers are incentivised to lend to the farm because they want to see their business flourish after establishing a relationship in the community. In some cases, satisfied with the product, customer-lenders have offered partial loan forgiveness. Some refer to this altruistic lending as part of a “solidarity economy”.

Practitioners and new entrants interested can learn from this example by:

- building models for “community banking” within agriculture.

- leveraging community supported agriculture for more than markets but broader support.

- innovating on the now standard crowdfunding method.

- adapting traditional finance pathways for new entrant farmer needs.

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In 2011, 250 acres of farmland in one of Wales’ most iconic landscapes came up for sale. After the National Trust, a registered charity in the UK acquired the property and protected it for perpetuity, it launched a scholarship program to allow new entrants into farming managing the landscape and its agricultural duties. The Llndy Isaf Scholar is granted a three-year post on the property, managing its infrastructure running its sheep and beef business. The property is enrolled in a number of agri-environmental schemes, so the fellow learns a conservation agricultural approach and environmental accounting. An established neighbouring sheep farm provides mentoring opportunities and the fellow receives a stipend from the National Trust. While the trust sets the guidelines for how the farm is to be managed, the fellow can innovate with the business model. For example, the current fellow has launched their own direct to consumer lamb box scheme, leveraging the extreme visitation rate that the farm receives because of its iconic status: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/news/llyndy-isaf-award-winning-lamb-box-

Practitioners interested in supporting new entrants can learn from this example by:

-exploring opportunities for apprenticeships in unlikely places.

-using the mission of generational renewal as a marketing draw.

-provide access to land via third party then hire a new entrant as a caretaker with freedom to innovate.

-add value through agritourism, in both achieving premium prices and drawing visitors to the land because of the ecological farming activities.

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In 2014 an organic initiative "De Landgenoten" was initiated in Flanders. With it a cooperative was set up under the same name. Their aim was to provide an answer to increasing land prices, farmers without a successor and starting farmers unable to find land for organic production. The cooperative looks for farmland through conventional sales channels, but also through donations from individual land owners and leasing. With the land now in their possession they look for suitable farmers to use the land. These farmers must be organic but can be anywhere from new and small to experienced and relatively large. The cooperative can provide the farmer with a lifelong contract for their land, the price of which is determined by the quality and the crop type. Farmers with a successor that is unable to bear the cost of the land transfer can also benefit from De Landgenoten. By renting the land through the cooperative the initial cost is significantly reduced while the farm itself can remain unchanged in practice. Farmers willing to benefit from the program have to set up a crowdfunding campaign themselves to achieve the necessary funds to buy the land.

The growth of the organisation is slow, as they are faced by the same rigid and expensive land market as starting farmers, but in the future they should be able to help more and more organic farmers. The decision to focus on organic farmers could be re-evaluated by other European partners willing to try the same.

In 2014 werd het initiatief "De Landgenoten" opgezet uit een samenwerking van een verzameling organisaties die inzetten op biologische landbouw. Een coöperatie met gelijke naam werd in het leven geroepen. De bedoeling was om een antwoord te bieden op de stijgende landprijzen, landbouwers zonder opvolger en nieuwe landbouwers die geen land kunnen vinden of bekostigen. De organisatie zoekt naar beschikbaar land via de conventionele kanalen, maar krijgt ook donaties van particuliere landeigenaars en pacht. Wanneer het land in hun bezit of beheer is gekomen, wordt er naar een geschikte landbouwer gezocht die voldoet aan hun eisen. Deze landbouwers moeten organisch telen, maar kunnen klein of groot zijn en zowel nieuwkomer als ervaren teler. Ze krijgen dan een carrièrelang contract aangeboden. Wanneer een landbouwer de kosten van de overname niet kan bekostigen, kan ook hier het systeem van De Landgenoten een antwoord bieden. Landbouwers die beroep willen doen op de financiering moeten wel zelf de crowdfunding opzetten om de aankoop te bekostigen.

De groei van de organisatie verloopt traag, mede door de steeds stijgende prijs van land. Maar de bedoeling is nog steeds om meer en meer landbouwers te helpen. Partners in de EU kunnen dit voorbeeld gebruiken als inspiratie voor een eigen initiatief.

The access to specialized and business knowledge and skills is key to an efficient and competitive agriculture. It is often underlined that education is lagging behind the needs of economy and there is a lack of practical skills of graduates. The Vocational High School of Agricultural Mechanization in Gotse Delchev (https://agrolider.pgmss-gd.com/) addresses them and achieve success through:

• Vision and strategy of the headmaster and the team of professional teachers and motivated students

• New specialties such as Agroecology and Veterinary Technician to provide up-to-date and needed knowledge

• School organic farm to grow alfalfa, fruits and vegetables, preserving the typical Karakachan sheep to be prepared for expanding organic sector

• Virtual training farm makes students prepared to manage their future farms. They present to local farmers innovative practices in land cultivation, livestock breeding, new crops and technologies

• Sales of organic farm products provide valuable market knowledge and skills and promote the benefits of organic fruits and vegetables to the community

• They share ideas, knowledge and experience in national and international networks and programs such as Erasmus + and develop partnership with universities and businesses.

Recommendations:

• Partnership of education-business-public authorities and organizations so the education always has the feedback from agricultural business and provides what needed, applies new technologies, practices and products, useful for farmers and requires adequate public support, tools and programs

• Open to new approach in the learning process

• Actively engage with the local community to prove agriculture can be attractive and profitable

Достъпът до специализирани и бизнес знания и формиране на умения е ключов за конкурентно селско стопанство. Често се изтъква, че образованието изостава от нуждите на икономиката и липсват практически умения у завършващите. Професионалната гимназия по Механизация на селското стопанство в Г. Делчев решава проблемите и постига успех чрез:

• Визия и стратегия на директора и мотивиран екип от учители –професионалисти и ученици

• Нови специалности като „Агроекология“ и „Ветеринарен техник“ дават съвременни и необходими знания в подкрепа на сектора

• В училищната био ферма с отглеждане на люцерна, плодове и зеленчуци и съхраняване на типичната порода каракачанска овца учениците прилагат на практика знания, подготвят се за разширяващото се биоземеделие

• Виртуална учебно-производствена ферма Агролидер подготвя учениците за управление на бъдещите ферми. Те усвояват и представят на земеделците иновативни практики в обработването на земята, животновъдството, нови култури и технологии

• Продажбата на био продукти дава ценни знания и умения за пазара и популяризира в общността ползата от еко плодове и зеленчуци

• Споделят идеи, знания и опит в национални и международни мрежи и програми като Еразъм+. Изграждат партньорство с университети и бизнес.

Техните препоръки:

• Много добро партньорство на образование-бизнес-публични власти. Образованието има точна обратна връзка какво търсят земеделците и го предоставя, налага нови технологии, практики и продукти за фермерите и изисква публична подкрепа, механизми и програми

• Търси и внедрява в учебния процес съвременни подходи и методики

• Активно взаимодействие с общността и доказва, че земеделието може да е привлекателно и печелившо

Featured on the BBC’s This Farming Life, Lynbreck Croft’s heroic embrace of a crofting lifestyle has captured the imagination of Scotland. Their commitment to “farming with nature” is not only an expression of environmental values, but also an innovation for finance-strapped new entrants. At the 140-acre property, acquired in 2016, Lynbreck Croft tapped into environmental improvement funding streams, like a forestry scheme available from Forestry and Land Scotland, to provide income during the crucial start-up phase of their Highland croft. These ecological improvements like the planting of wind breaks and upland restoration will improve the overall quality of what was previously marginal land. Lynbreck Croft has grown their business through direct to consumer markets, delivering eggs, vegetables, meat boxes, value-added products and educational tours and work-days. Having once relied on off farm income to finance their business, they now work 100% on diversified agricultural activities. Acknowledged for their approach to maximise the use of the land while supporting long term environmental planning, Lynbreck Croft was selected as the New entrant Farm Business of the Year Award as well as many other nature and farming awards in the UK.

New entrants can learn from example of Lynbreck croft by:

-considering the value of ecological restoration on a given property.

-integrate a narrative of restoration and addressing climate change into product marketing.

-when searching for land, identifying areas with potential markets for local or environmentally friendly food.

-use rotational and mixed grazing to improve the soil for slow, but steady productivity increases.

More information https://www.lynbreckcroft.co.uk/about

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There are more and more Newbies aiming for collective installation, including couples. However, if the aspects related to the collective dimension of the project are underestimated, the project could not be durable, sustainable and livable.

Indeed, sources of conflict between the members of the group are many : economic aspects (remuneration, investments) ; division of labour, time worked ; subordination ; individual and collective values etc.

Testing the project thanks to a farm incubator can be a good way to prepare the group to function in society as a collective. Incubation offers a framework in which the future farmers may try to operate together in a way that suits to all group members while they are being supported.

Advisors or local support groups as well as the many existing tools, offer external perspectives that can help Newbies to realize their collective project, to experiment with an organizational structure, project coordination, and to choose a relevant legal statue which suits to the collective project after a period of incubation. Also, the test period allows Newbies to make mistakes as the investment risks are limited, so Newbies are able to adjust or abandon the project.

Practical recommendations :

- The use of support tools (charters, associates’ pacts, estimated budget, Holistic Goal-setting Mandala, economic analysis tools, ono-on-one conversations, Sociocracy)

- Settlement of local support groups, identifying mediators

- Work on values, relationships

- Definition of a fair and equitable repartition of time worked and resources

- Considering possible ways out, playing down the notion of ‘failure’ during a test

Les porteurs de projet qui souhaitent s’installer en collectif sont de plus en plus nombreux. Cependant, la viabilité et la vivabilité de ces projets peuvent être compromises si les aspects liés à la dimension collective du projet sont peu ou mal estimés.

En effet, les sources de tension peuvent être nombreuses: aspects économiques (rémunération, investissements…); temps/répartition du travail; subordination; valeurs individuelles et collectives…

Le test d’activité peut être un bon moyen de se préparer à fonctionner en société/collectif. Il donne un cadre sécurisé et réversible dans lequel les porteurs de projet peuvent s’essayer à trouver le fonctionnement qui leur convient tout en bénéficiant d’un accompagnement propre au projet.

Le regard extérieur de l’accompagnateur, d’un groupe local d’appui et les multiples outils qui existent peuvent aider les porteurs de projet à concrétiser leur projet collectif, à découvrir comment s’organiser, choisir le statut le mieux adapté au collectif après l’épreuve de la réalité. Tout en conservant le droit à l’erreur et la possibilité d’abandonner le projet.

Recommendations pratiques :

-Utiliser les outils d’accompagnement (chartes, pactes d’associés, budget prévisionnel, mandala holistique, outils d’analyse économique, entretiens individuels, sociocratie…)

-Établir des groupes d’appui locaux, identifier des médiateurs

-Travailler sur les valeurs, les relations entre personnes

-Définir une répartition juste et équitable du temps de travail et des ressources

-Envisager des modalités de sortie, dédramatiser la notion d’échec

Access to land is a serious problem for small farmers and new entrants, especially in mountainous areas. They rely mainly on grazing livestock, their own land is extremely scarce and fragmented, and the access to municipal land is difficult due to constantly changing and restrictive legislation that allows renting small plots of municipal land (below 1 ha) The small farmers can only afford to rent a small pasture area, which is often not enough for animals. The small sheep farmers in Dorkovo found a very good solution: 20 sheep breeders decided to cooperate in an association and all members applied for municipal land and, despite the individual agreements, manage together all the grassland. The association plans to use the raised funds to co-finance a dairy project to process milk into demanded local products. This will add value to the livestock small farms, make them more resilient, provide more revenue opportunities, and to attract young people to mountain sheep farming and good livelihoods in highland less-favored areas.

Through co-operation the association solves several problems and provides:

• Fair and long-term shared access to municipal land

• Access to land, equipment and experience to new entrants.

• Overcome bureaucratic legal constraints

• Access to capital, by collecting and accumulating in a common account the reimbursements for maintaining mountain pastures in good condition. By the approval of all the members part of financial resources have been spent on common equipment, water facilities for sheep, forage in very severe winters and joint fight against animal diseases

• The sheep grazing keeps the land in good condition, prevents overgrown shrubs and trees.

Достъпът до земя е сериозен проблем за животновъдите с малки стопанства, за младите и новите фермери, особено в планинските райони. Те разчитат основно на пасищно отглеждане на животни, собствените им земи са много малко и разпокъсани, достъпът до общински мери е неудовлетворителен, заради непрекъснато променящо се и ограничително законодателство, което позволява наемане на общински земи по-малко от 10 декара без търг само за година. Всеки от тях може да си позвали да наеме малка площ, но не достатъчна за животните. Овцевъдите в с. Дорково са намерили много добро решение:

• 20 овцевъди се кооперират в сдружение

• Всички членове кандидатстват за общински земи и сключват отделни договори, но стопанисват пасища общо и ги поддържат в добро състояние

Така чрез коопиране сдружението решава няколко проблема:

• Справедлив и дългосрочен общ достъп до общинска земя

• Дава достъп до земя, оборудване и опит на млади и нови фермери

• Преодолява бюрократичните законови ограничения

• Достъп до капитал - като събира и натрупва средствата, получавани за поддържане на планинските пасища в добро състояние. Изразходвало е част от тях за общо оборудване, места за напояване на овцете, фураж в много тежки зими и борба с болести

• Пашуването поддържа земята в добро състояние, предотвратява обрастването с храсти и дървета.

Събраните средства сдружението планира да използва за съфинансиране по проект за създаването на мандра, за да преработва млякото в търсени местни продукти. Така ще добави стойност към стопанствата, ще ги направи по-устойчиви, ще имат повече възможности за приходи и привличане на млади хора към планинско отглеждане на овце и добър поминък във високопланински необлагодетелствани райони

Access to markets is among the main challenges of new entrants, in particular for small farms which are a majority in Bulgaria.

Short supply chains are fast growing marketing channels that provide benefits for farmers and local communities. Hrankoop (Food cooperative) is a good example of a short supply chain in Bulgaria that forms connections between farmers and consumers.

Hrankoop develops networks and cooperatives of farmers and consumers of ‘pure food’; organizes regular farmers markets in the large cities to help farmers to sell directly to consumers and set up weekly supplies of fresh products from producers to the local community. It started in 2010 to promote a new model of cooperative to support small farms by a consumers’ community. It is a business cooperative built on the balance of fair price for farmers and quality agricultural products for consumers and yet it is also a strong community of solidarity where trust and mutual help are crucial principles. The benefits are obvious for all: fair price and immediate cashflow for producers, guaranteed fresh products for users, sustainable agriculture and community involvement. The farmers markets provide the opportunity for new entrants to get a supportive community, to communicate with their customers directly and have the right feedback about the products and quality. The communication among the farmers is also valuable. They learn through each other, working together they receive better price despite a high competition on the food market.

Recommendations:

• Proactive approach of new entrants in new models of cooperation and networks with consumers and community

• Better communication skills and on-line visibility at least in social media

Достъпът до пазари е сред основните предизвикателства за новите фермери, особено с малки стопанства, които преобладават в България.

Късите вериги за доставки са бързоразвиващи се маркетингови канали от полза и за фермерите, и за обществото. Хранкооп е добър пример за развитие на къса верига за доставки в България и връзка между фермерите и потребителите.

Хранкооп развива мрежи и кооперативи на фермери и потребители на чиста храна; организира редовни фермерски пазари в големи градове, така фермерите продават директно продуктите си на крайни потребители, и седмични доставки на пресни продукти от производители до общността на потребителите. Стартира през 2010 г. за насърчаване на нов модел коопериране в подкрепа на малките стопанства от общност на потребители. Тази бизнес кооперация е изградена върху баланса на справедлива цена за земеделците и качествени селскостопански продукти и храни за потребителите, и е силна общност на солидарност, с ключови принципи доверие и взаимопомощ.

Ползите са ясни за всички: справедливо заплащане за производителите, налични парични средства веднага, гарантирани пресни чисти продукти за потребителите, устойчиво земеделие и включване на общността. Фермерските пазари предоставят възможност на новите фермери да се срещат с подкрепяща общност, да общуват директно с клиентите си и да имат точната обратна връзка за продуктите и качеството. Комуникацията между фермерите също е ценна, учат се един от друг, като работят заедно, те получават по-добра цена, въпреки че са конкуренти.

Практически препоръки:

• Проактивен подход на нови фермери в новите модели на сътрудничество и мрежи с потребителите и общността

• По-добри комуникационни умения и по-добро присъствие онлайн, поне в социалните медии

Nature preservation organisations are generally opposed to cattle farming due to the high environmental and societal impact of meat production. In Diksmuide, close to the North Sea, one farmer has come up with an interesting partnership between his cattle farm and the Flemish nature preservation organisation, Natuurpunt. He introduced a “forgotten” breed of cow into his farm: Salers. This originally French breed of cattle is much more fitted to grazing in rough nature areas and doesn’t mind bad weather. The agreement includes the grazing of these Salers on the plots managed by Natuurpunt. This reduces the workload of the nature organisation and reduces the land demand of the farmer. As a consequence of this the Salers are not given any additional food and live on a diet of exclusively grass that graze themselves. The result is sustainable high-value meat with a marketable story behind it. The tough meat certainly isn't for everyone, but the farmer reports positive financial numbers.

Recommendation

This idea could be explored in other highly populated European countries. The most important challenge in this strategy is building the marketing strategy behind it that will lead to compensating the efficiency loss that comes with a limited diet and the additional work in managing the partnership. Selecting the right breed is also very important. Farmers could look for these organisations and their land to see if a valuable partnership could be attained.

Verenigingen die zich inzetten voor het beheer van natuurgronden (bijvoorbeeld Natuurpunt in Vlaanderen) staan meestal lijnrecht tegenover landbouwers met vee vanwege de grote impact van veeteelt op zowel de omgeving als de samenleving. In Diksmuide, vlak aan de kust, heeft een landbouwer echter een interessante samenwerking weten af te sluiten met de organisatie. Hij startte vanuit de introductie van een “vergeten” ras van vleesvee: Salers. Dit uit Frankrijk afkomstig ras is uitermate geschikt om te grazen op ruige gronden en trekt zich weinig aan van slechte weersomstandigheden. De samenwerking omvat het laten begrazen van de gronden beheerd in natuurbehoud door deze Salers. Het creëert een voordelige situatie doordat de vereniging nu minder onderhoudswerk heeft aan de grond en voor de boer zijn de extra gronden een graag geziene uitbreiding. Het eindresultaat is een duurzame hoogwaardige vleesproductie met een verhaal erachter dat kan aanslaan bij de klant. Hoewel het taaie vlees niet voor iedereen is weggelegd, kan de landbouwer toch positieve cijfers op tafel leggen. Wij zien geen reden waarom een soortgelijke samenwerking niet zou kunnen werken in andere dichtbevolkte plaatsen in Europa. De belangrijkste uitdaging is uiteraard die vermarktingsstrategie die er voor moet zorgen dat de stijging in werklast samen met de daling in productie kan worden gecompenseerd door een stijging in prijs. Ook moet er een geschikt ras worden gevonden.

Gaining access to land is a major barrier facing new entrants attempting to enter the agricultural sector across Europe. This barrier to land is created by a number of issues including reluctance from older generation’s to step aside, low supply of land for sale or rent in many areas and the high price of available land which many new entrants are unable to afford.

The Land Mobility Service was set up in 2013 by Macra na Feirme, a national voluntary youth organisation, to link landowners and potential farmers interested in collaborating and developing sustainable viable farm enterprises. It is a support service for farmers and farm families who are contemplating expansion, changing enterprise, or stepping back. The service allows people explore their options and helps match farmers interested in long leases and collaborative arrangements. The service identifies opportunities for farmers wishing to expand or new entrants wanting to develop their own career in farming.

The overriding aim of the subsidised service has been the delivery of land mobility and access to land through collaborative farming arrangements.

Collaborative farming arrangements such as farm partnerships, share farming, contract rearing and long term leasing have actively been promoted as ideal stepping stones to help overcome obstacles to land access.

The process of the service involves firstly the service being contacted from an interested party. An initial consultation takes place where various options and scenarios are outlined. Family option and preferred collaborator options are explored. If no potential collaborator is known or none exist the Service helps in trying to identify potential collaborators. The service works for potential agreement.

Ce contenu est actuellement disponible uniquement dans sa langue maternelle

Many new entrants require secure tenure solutions that don’t involve cost prohibitive purchase. Joint Ventures are a form of partnership arrangement that provide secure tenure for new entrants and fresh farm management for established farmers.

At the profit sharing Coed Coch Farm in North Wales, the land owner provides capital improvements and infrastructure, the farm manager provides technical oversights, and the shepherd maintains the flock.

The partners in a Joint Venture can share profits, subsidy payments, capital improvement costs, and other responsibilities to match the skills of all members. Joint ventures create new legal entities, such as a business, limited partnership, or corporate charter that clearly defines the roles of each member. New entrants, while perhaps receiving a smaller share of the profits or assets at the start, are protected from the risk of the high start-up investments. Particularly with livestock, the new entrant can slowly build their own capital (in stock) that, if desired, they can leverage to start their own business.

Because each agricultural operation is unique, Joint Ventures require legal consulting to create a sound and satisfying arrangement. In Scotland, the National Farmer’s Union has partnered with land agents, law firms, and agricultural consultants to create a “Joint Venture hub” where land owners and new entrants can register their interest to form a partnership and then receive the legal support to formally incorporate.

Recommendations

- Understand motivations for established land owenrs to participate

- Expand models for legally recognized business formation

- Compare different forms of joint ventures to match expectations and skills of each partner

Ce contenu est actuellement disponible uniquement dans sa langue maternelle

Increasingly farmers are considered as entrepreneurs with a variety of tasks such as optimizing production, arranging administration and establishing a client base. For all of these tasks, farmers need a lot of information, which is not always readily available to the farmer. New entrants are especially in need of guidelines, good practices and reference prices but lack the time to gather this information themselves. A solution could lie in smartphone applications which are tailored for the farm sector. These may help in the sharing of data and the dissemination of information among farmers, and in this way facilitate certain farm tasks. An example is “Bereslim”, an app developed by a young farmer in Flanders to improve the communication between sow farmers and pig sperm producers. More specifically, the app allows farmers to register sow data, which can then be coupled to the parent boar. The boar choice can then be optimized based on production data of the offspring. An overview of apps which are useful for farmers in Belgium and the Netherlands can be found on www.appsforfarming.com and www.appsforagri.com. These apps are of course equally useful for already established farmers.

Recommendations:

• Farmers need to be familiar with smartphones.

• For apps that include the sharing of data the property rights and the privacy legislation should be taken into account.

• For interested farmers a demonstration event can be organized.

In toenemende mate worden landbouwers gezien als ondernemers die, naast de productie optimaliseren, ook de administratie moeten afwerken en hun klantenbestand moeten onderhouden. Voor al deze taken heeft de landbouwer nood aan een heleboel informatie die verzameld en verwerkt moet worden. Zeker nieuwkomers hebben nood aan betrouwbare informatie rond richtlijnen, benodigdheden en productiecijfers als referentie. Zelden hebben zij echter het netwerk of de tijd om al deze informatie zelf te vinden. Een mogelijke oplossing kan te vinden zijn in smartphoneapplicaties die toegespitst zijn op de landbouwsector. Zij kunnen een hulpmiddel zijn in het verwerken en verspreiden van informatie.

Een voorbeeld uit België is de “Bereslim” applicatie. Deze is ontwikkeld door een jonge landbouwer in Vlaanderen om de communicatie tussen varkensboeren en hun spermaleverancier te verbeteren. De app staat specifiek toe om data te registreren omtrent de prestaties van varkens, welke dan verbonden kunnen worden aan het vaderdier. Op basis van deze data kan de spermaleverancier zijn fokprogramma aanpassen. Wij zijn er van overtuigd dat landbouwers uit alle sectoren een voordeel kunnen halen uit dergelijke applicaties. Voor een overzicht van alle Belgische en Nederlandse apps kan men surfen naar: www.appsforfarming.com en www.appsforagri.com. Men hoeft uiteraard geen nieuwe landbouwer te zijn om de voordelen van zulke apps te genieten.

Onze aanbevelingen:

• Landbouwers moeten de rol van een smartphone in hun boerderij inzien.

• Wetgeving rond informatieverspreiding moet correct worden opgevolgd bij het produceren van apps.

• Demonstratiemomenten kunnen inspiratie leveren aan landbouwers die nog overtuigd moeten worden.

Accessing markets and maintaining marketing channels represent large or even insurmountable obstacles for many farmers. Examples of farms in mountainous, less accessible, peripheral or border areas, demonstrate that it is possible, with certain adjustments, to overcome these challenges.

Farmers are opting to gradually adjust and diversify their range of products in line with dietary and commercial trends. Consequently, farms are also starting to develop their processing capacities and the range of interesting processed agricultural goods is expanding. Experience shows that access to markets in such areas needs to be addressed by combining different marketing channels and by carefully developing a business network.

Farmers are choosing to sell directly to consumers on the farm, they are connecting into and marketing in the local environment (including with nearby hospitality establishments etc.), they are mainly selling to local or specialized stores, local schools, as well as at markets, they are offering online ordering and home delivery, etc. Establishing and maintaining such a diversified business network is demanding from a time perspective and involves building trust and maintaining business links between farmers and a wide range of customers.

Recommendations:

- farms need to identify and adapt to the needs and characteristics of the local / regional market,

- farmers need adequate communication skills,

- responsiveness and adaptability are of critical importance,

- establish "trust" between the farmer and their business network based on quality products and services,

- farms should look for marketing channels that facilitate the development of their production and processing capacities.

Dostop do trgov in vzdrževanje tržnih kanalov predstavljata za številne kmete (ne le tiste na začetku poslovne poti) veliko ali celo nepremostljivo oviro. Primeri kmetij na hribovitih, prometno težje dostopnih, obrobnih ali obmejnih območjih dokazujejo, da je mogoče ta dejstva z določenimi prilagoditvami sčasoma obrniti sebi v prid.

Kmetije se odločajo za postopno preusmeritev in širjenje nabora pridelkov, ki so prehransko in tržno zanimivi (na primer zelenjava, žita). Posledično se na kmetiji prične razvijati tudi predelava, poveča se nabor za trženje zanimivih kmetijskih proizvodov. Izkušnje kažejo, da je dostop do trgov na takšnih območjih potrebno reševati s kombiniranjem različnih tržnih kanalov oziroma s skrbno vzpostavitvijo poslovne mreže.

Kmetije se odločajo za neposredno prodajo na kmetiji, se povezujejo in tržijo v lokalnem okolju (bližnji gostinski obrati, večji ponudniki turističnih storitev idr.), prodajajo pretežno lokalnim ali specializiranim trgovinam, lokalnim šolam in vrtcem, pa tudi na tržnici, odločajo se za spletno naročanje in dostavo na domu ipd. Vzpostavitev in vzdrževanje tako razvejane poslovne mreže je zahtevno s časovnega vidika, vzpostavljanja zaupanja ter vzdrževanja poslovnih povezav med kmeti in raznovrstnimi kupci.

Priporočila:

- kmetije morajo prepoznati potrebe in značilnosti lokalnega/regionalnega trga ter se jim prilagoditi,

- kmetje potrebujejo ustrezna komunikacijska znanja,

- ključnega pomena je odzivnost in prilagodljivost kmetije,

- vzpostavitev »zaupanja« med kmetom in njegovo poslovno mrežo, ki temelji na kakovosti proizvodov in storitev,

- kmetije naj iščejo tržne poti, ki jim omogočajo razvoj pridelave in predelave.

For many start up farmers, finding and particularly financing land is very challenging. Purchasing land is often above the financial possibilities of a young business and lease, or rental, is much more common.

However, there are alternative possibilities to finance land, that do not involve financing from a bank. A well-known example is crowdfunding. For crowdfunding you normally have a huge amount of backers for your investment. In a farm related land fund people invest a substantial amount of money in the land fund. The result is that you have a smaller amount of investors. The fund buys the land which is made available to farmers of a specific farm under certain conditions of use. The land ownership stays within the fund which makes the risk for the investors smaller.

The main advantages are creating access to funding independent from traditional financial institutions. The main disadvantage is the lengthy and complex organisation involved. More specific advantages and disadvantages are being discussed in the practise description (http://www.newbie-academy.eu/).

Recommendations:

- Sufficient (wealthy) people in a network who are willing and able to invest;

- Good communication skills to pitch the land fund;

- A distinct business model with social goals is a plus;

- Legal advice when drafting the contracts;

- Advice on national legislation and the legalities of land funds.

Voor veel startende boeren is het vinden en vooral financieren van grond een hele uitdaging. Aankoop van grond ligt vaak boven de financiële mogelijkheden van een jong bedrijf. Pacht komt daarom veel vaker voor.

Er zijn echter alternatieve mogelijkheden om grond te financieren waarbij geen financiering van een bank nodig is. Een bekend voorbeeld is crowdfunding. Voor crowdfunding heeft u normaal gezien een enorme hoeveelheid ondersteuners nodig voor een grote investering. In een bedrijfsgebonden landfonds belegt men een aanzienlijke hoeveelheid geld in het landfonds. Het resultaat is dat er een kleiner aantal investeerders nodig zijn. Het fonds koopt het land dat onder bepaalde voorwaarden beschikbaar is voor de ondernemer(s) van een specifieke boerderij. Het grondbezit blijft binnen het fonds waardoor het risico voor de beleggers kleiner is.

De belangrijkste voordelen zijn toegang tot financiering onafhankelijk van traditionele financiële instellingen. Het grootste nadeel is de langdurige en complexe organisatie. Meer specifieke voor- en nadelen worden besproken in de uitgebreidere praktijkbeschrijving (http://www.newbie-academy.eu/).

Aanbevelingen:

- Voldoende (welgestelde) mensen in een netwerk die bereid en in staat zijn te investeren;

- Goede communicatieve vaardigheden om het grondfonds te pitchen;

- Een duidelijk bedrijfsmodel met sociale doelen is een pluspunt;

- Juridisch advies bij het opstellen van de contracten;

- Advies over nationale wetgeving en de fiscale aspecten van grondfondsen.

NEWBIE New Entrant netWork: Business models for Innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience in
European agriculture (1 of 2)

NEWBIE New Entrant netWork: Business models for Innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience in
European agriculture (1 of 2)

Contexte

Objectives

Objectives

Activities

Project details

Emplacement

EUR 1 995 040.00

Total budget

Project keyword

Ressources

Liens

100 Practice Abstracts

Contacts

Project coordinator

Project partners

Sections

NEWBIE New Entrant netWork: Business models for Innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience in European agriculture (1 of 2) NEWBIE New Entrant netWork: Business models for Innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience in European agriculture (1 of 2)

Contexte

Objectives

Objectives

Activities

Project details

Emplacement

EUR 1 995 040.00

Total budget

Project keyword

Ressources

Liens

100 Practice Abstracts

A Solution for workforce - GREEN TO GO farm (The challenge: Access to Labour, Bulgaria)

Решение за работна ръка

Accessing EU market with successful business model InaEssentials (The challenge: Access to Market, Bulgaria)

Yспешнен бизнес модел на Васил Ралчев, 22-годишен млад фермер

Association of Ile-de-France Breeding in Bulgaria with an Excellent Partnership Science-Livestock (The challenge: Access to constructive relations, Bulgaria)

Асоциацията за развъждане на породата Ил дьо Франс в България с отлично партньорство наука - животновъдство

Covid-19 boosts digital marketing (The challenge: Access to Market, Bulgaria)

Ковид-19 ускори агро дигиталния маркетинг

Local strategies and municipal support (The challenge: Access to constructive relations, Portugal)

Estratégias locais e o papel das Câmaras Municipais

How can small-scale organic farming contribute to the conservation of wild native plants? (The challenge: Access to constructive relations, Portugal)

Como pode a agricultura biológica em pequena escala contribuir para a conservação das plantas autóctones silvestres?

How to establish an agri-business through local collaborative networks around wild products (The challenge: Access to Market, Portugal)

Estabelecer um agronegócio em torno de produtos silvestres com base em redes locais colaborativas

Innovative access to land. “A land bank system” Montemor-o-Novo (The challenge: Access to Land, Portugal)

Acesso inovador à terra: “Banco de terra” Montemor-o-Novo

Strategic network to develop short agri-food supply chains (The challenge: Access to constructive relations, Portugal)

Rede estratégica para desenvolver cadeias agroalimentares curtas

Building partnerships for sustainable value chains (The challenge: Access to constructive relations, Portugal)

Construir parcerias para cadeiras de valor sustentáveis

Netzwerk Flächensicherung – one of the European associations “access to land” (The challenge: Access to Land, Germany)

Netzwerk Flächensicherung – Teil des internationalen “access to land”

Association of young alternative farmers supports German newbies (Bündnis junge Landwirtschaft) (The challenge: Access to constructive relations, Germany)

Bündnis junge Landwirtschaft unterstützt Neu- und Quereinsteiger in die Landwirtschaft

Female new entrants: agricultural start-ups by women (The challenge: Access to Labour, Germany)

Weibliche Neueinsteiger: Landwirtschaftliche Start-ups durch Frauen

Crowdfunding – one word, several implementations for new entrants into farming (The challenge: Access to Capital, Germany)

Crowdfunding – ein Wort, viele Ausprägungen

Social media meets direct sale (The challenge: Access to Market, Germany)

Social media trifft Direktvermarktung

Seven steps to set up a successful on-farm shops (The challenge: Access to Market, Germany)

Sieben Schritte zu einem Hofladen

Successful marketing on a sheep farm “Schäferei Stücke“ (The challenge: Access to Market, Germany)

Erfolgreiches Marketing der “Schäferei Stücke“

The internet as market entry (The challenge: Access to Market, Germany)

Das Internet als guter Einstieg in die Vermarktung

Agricultural innovations in media: German magazine f3 ”farm.food.future” (The challenge: Access to knowledge, Germany)

Agricultural innovations in media: German magazine f3 ”farm.food.future”

When solving a problem becomes an opportunity (The challenge: Access to knowledge, Portugal)

Quando a resolução de um problema se torna numa oportunidade

How to add value to a product considered mainstream (The challenge: Access to Market, Portugal)

Como acrescentar valor a um produto considerado convencional

Short supply chains: a way to facilitate access to market by new entrants (The challenge: Access to Market, Portugal)

Cadeias curtas: uma forma de facilitar o acesso ao mercado de novos empresários agrícolas

Available advisory services for new entrants in farming (The challenge: Access to knowledge, Portugal)

Serviços de aconselhamento agrícola disponíveis para novos empresários agrícolas

Farm incubators: innovative services to facilitate entry into farming (The challenge: Access to knowledge, France)

Les espaces-test agricoles : des outils innovants au service de l’installation agricole

The « vignes-relais » of the Côte Roannaise (The challenge: Access to Land, France)

Les vignes-relais de la Côte Roannaise

Terre Adonis: facilitating land access (The challenge: Access to Land, France)

Terre Adonis : faciliter l'accès à la terre

Bio A Pro - A collective producer platform (The challenge: Access to Market, FR)

Bio A pro : une plateforme de producteurs

Solidarity-based financing: citizens' savings support agricultural projects (The challenge: Access to Capital, France)

Financements solidaires : l’épargne citoyenne soutient les projets agricoles

Land monitoring by the local authority “Vichy Communauté” (The challenge: Access to Land, France)

Animation foncière par la collectivité

CAPE in France - Incubation contract (The challenge: Access to Knowledge, France)

Le Contrat CAPE : Contrat d’Appui au Projet d’Entreprise

Territorial Food Projects (PATs) (The challenge: Access to constructive relations, France)

CEFI : Employment and training to settle a farm (The challenge: Access to Knowledge, France)

Lille European Metropolis gives access to Land in Wavrin (The challenge: Access to Land, France)

Mise à disposition de foncier par la Métropole Européenne de Lille à Wavrin

Coordinating actors supporting new entrants: the New Entrants Info Desk – regional support for Newbies (The challenge: Access to Information France)

Coordonner les acteurs de l’installation : le Point Accueil Installation Transmission (PAIT)

NEWBIE New Entrant netWork: Business models for Innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience in
European agriculture (1 of 2)

NEWBIE New Entrant netWork: Business models for Innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience in
European agriculture (1 of 2)