Royal Agricultural College offers new integrated food chain course

The Royal Agricultural College has joined forces with Campden and Chorleywood Research Association to offer training on integrated food chains.

Students will be able to receive professional training and undertake MBA courses as part of the college’s modern food chain initiative.

Paul Davies, RAC vice-principal, said the partnership with CCFRA, the world’s biggest independent food research centre, would bring agricultural and food perspectives together.

“Plough-to-plate is absolutely the right way forward for agri-food developments, and we are now better equipped at both the RAC and CCFRA to provide this stronger perspective,” he said.

Meanwhile, farmers seeking to diversify into food processing are being offered training and business support at Cornwall’s Duchy College.

From this month, students can take modules of an agri-food foundation degree, as well as a course in food safety management.

A £4.7m agri-innovation centre, offering state-of-the-art processing facilities, is due to open next year, when further courses including cheese making and butchery will be on offer.

Cornish farmer Michael Horrell, of Lynher Dairies Cheese Company, said it was important people were encouraged to develop careers in food and farming industries.

“In our early days as farmhouse cheesemakers, it would have been a tremendous asset to enjoy such a facility, providing support for a new venture,” he said.

“I am sure that both start-up and established enterprises will feel a benefit.”