L.FAP.1911 - Livestock Advisor Essentials

Summary

The purpose of the Livestock Advisor Essentials project was to pilot a professional development program. This was intended to bridge the gap between MLA and less experienced livestock industry professionals by building the capacity and awareness of new industry professionals who are passionate about the Australian red meat industry.

Objectives

The primary objective of Livestock Advisor Essentials (LAE) was to build an on-ground advisor network capable of disseminating high quality information and linking producers to MLA programs and resources. Underlying this was an objective to conduct market research to determine the needs and preferences of livestock advisors to inform the design and delivery of a targeted professional development course.

In phase one of the project, social research methods were employed to better understand the target market for LAE, including livestock advisors needs and how this intersects with services and support that MLA could offer. A short survey, using survey monkey with links and information was circulated electronically (via email and social media).

In phase two a twelve-month program was designed and delivered to early career livestock advisors, to upskill them and improve their industry networks. Case studies have been produced showcasing the stories of three participants.

Key findings

In phase one, 233 survey respondents participated in the survey, sharing their views. Valuable insights were gained about the age/experience/role of livestock advisors as well as their preferences for training and education and linking with MLA products and resources.

In phase two seventeen early-career participants registered for the full program, an additional three participants registered for one module. Six participants also participated in a formal mentoring program.

Monitoring and evaluation data provides evidence of a significant increase in KASA as a result of the workshops, and extremely positive general feedback has been received in terms of the value and satisfaction of the workshops. Participants showed increased confidence for supporting producer clients and improved skills and knowledge and awareness of tools and resources.

Benefits to industry

A network of livestock advisors motivated to support producer clients with skills, experiences and tools in business, feedbase, value chain and people management is now established in southern Australia. Building collaborative networks will enable advisors to know how to connect with others or reach out for support. The project has significantly lifted the technical capability of the professional network, building the profitability of the livestock industry.

MLA action

Future action to support delivering this program nationally to increase skills, knowledge and networks of livestock advisors across the country.

Future research

It is recommended that this LAE pilot project be extended and expanded to a permanent program. Based on participant feedback, some elements of delivery could be improved, further consolidating the benefits of delivering a program to participants across Australia. Some elements of what was developed during the pilot can be rolled out nationally (e.g., people) while other will require modifying to meet regional needs (e.g., feedbase). Continuing the program will leverage the original investment in the pilot project.