Europe‎ > ‎

United Kingdom



The extension landscape in the UK is increasingly fragmented. Organizations such as ADAS carry out only a part of the Research and Extension Delivery.


England
Publicly funded extension activity is also carried out by Natural England a Government Agency directly. Some activities are delegated to organizations including ADAS through contracts.

Also, levy boards have developed a strong extension function through AHDB (the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board)


Scotland
The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) carries out significant extension activity.


Northern Ireland
CAFRE carries out significant extension activity.


Wales
The Knowledge Transfer Development Centres funded by the Welsh Assembly Government carries out significant extension activity.

(Brian Angell, ADAS, personal communication 3/11/2011)



Role of the Public Sector

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, DEFRA, http://www.defra.gov.uk

"Defra is the UK government department responsible for policy and regulations on the environment, food and rural affairs. Defra makes policy and legislation, and works with others to deliver its policies in - areas such a:
  • the natural environment, biodiversity, plants and animals
  • sustainable development and the green economy
  • food, farming and fisheries
  • animal health and welfare
  • environmental protection and pollution control
  • rural communities and issues.
Supporting and developing British farming, and encouraging sustainable food production, is one of the three departmental priorities laid down in Defra’s Business Plan. This includes helping to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the whole food chain, including farms and the fish industry, to ensure a secure, environmentally sustainable and healthy supply of food with improved standards of animal welfare.

In support of this Defra works in a number of areas including:

  • Food strategy, personal food imports, food labelling and public sector food procurement
  • Farm animals: animal welfare, animal health and diseases, and livestock movement controls
  • Crops – including organics, GM crops, plant health, bees
  • Fishing industry – conservation of fish stocks and the EU Common Fisheries Policy
  • Farm management, Single Payment Scheme, Environmental Stewardship
  • The Review of Farm Regulation, CAP Reform"




Private Sector Organizations or Firms

Farm Advisory Services Team, Ltd
www.fastltd.co.uk


ADAS, www.adas.co.uk:

"ADAS is the UK’s largest independent provider of environmental consultancy, rural development services and policy advice.

ADAS consultants have a unique combination of insight and practical experience, underpinned by robust, informed, science-based information. As a result, we have a hard earned reputation for the delivery of solutions that benefit the environment and improve client performance. 

Our great strength is our breadth and depth of expertise spanning the entire environmental sector together with crop and livestock research and our waste contracting and composting business."


As a private company all ADAS extension related activity is provided under contract mostly directly to government or to one or other government agency including some for the Welsh Assembly Government. In this context ADAS is providing a service delivery to specifications determined by the commissioning organization.

Farmer Based Organizations