Apprentice Scheme Launched for Budding Organic Growers

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Apprentice Scheme Launched for Budding Organic Growers

The Organic Growers of Ireland (OGI) is seeking applications for the Organic Farming Internship Programme in Horticulture, which is being funded by the Organic Unit at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

This Pilot Internship Programme will place six apprentices on six host farms around the country. This work placement will involve a minimum of 30 hours a week work over a six month period on a well-established organic, horticultural farm in Ireland.

There will be a formal structure, involving 6 themed workshops, six farm visits, as well as a dedicated horticulture focused 25 hour Organic Farming Scheme training course. The latter is compulsory for anyone joining the Organic Farming Scheme.

According to OGI, “workshops will be based on a structured syllabus, covering the technical knowledge and economic management required for good crop production, as well as sales and marketing options and strategies.”

All of this is included in the six month programme of work, as well as payments based on 75-90% of the national minimum wage.

Applicants for the Programme will either have completed a Level 5 FETAC qualification in horticulture, or have a minimum of one year work experience on a farm.

The six farms involved are

• Beechlawn Organic Farm, Ballinasloe, Co Galway

• Lough Boora Farm, Leabeg, Co Offaly

• Deirdre O'Sullivan & Norman Kenny, Nurney House,

Carbury, Co. Kildare,

• Cait Curran Organics, Moycullen, Co Galway

• Moyleabbey Organic Farm, Ballitore, Athy, Co Kildare

• Castleruddery Organic Farm, Donard, Co. Wicklow.

I spoke with Liam Ryan, chair of OGI and also of Moyleabbey farm about the initiative.

Oliver Moore: How did this come about Liam?

Liam Ryan: There is a real need to encourage more people, especially young people, into the sector. We need to make it easier for people to start their own organic horticulture business, or to manage for someone else. I started in 2004, and it took me until 2008 to begin to upscale. And I’d been working in the organic sector abroad before that. So it was a long slow learning process – I could have had a better business quicker if I hadn’t learned the hard way. We're trying to make it a little shorter and easier for people.

OM: Who would this suit?

LR: Ideally people will bring a certain amount of knowledge and skills with them. This will give them the confidence and day to day practical skills, as well as great networking opportunities. The majority of farms involved are very well established, some for over 25 years, and some already employing people. They have a lot of experience and knowledge that should be passed on.

OM: What do you say to people who might claim that these sorts of schemes are just cheap labour and job displacement?

LR: There is a structured payment programme with this. It offers a lot, including 6 workshops, 6 farm walks, and a 25 hour conversion course. Thus far that course has only been run with livestock or cereals in mind, and its free to people doing our scheme – it costs E200 for farmers otherwise. But the structure is important; we really will be examining in detail all relevant aspects of organic horticulture in a very practical way. So soil analysis, growing techniques, nutrient analysis, crop choice, but also packaging, storage, marketing, costs - it will be very practical, not a box ticking exercise. Practical, on the farm learning will be the core of this, so it’s more like an apprenticeship than an internship really. The Soil Association in the UK have run something similar for eight years now.

Full details, including an application form are available for the OGI website. Applications close Friday 23rd May 2014.

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