Personal development techniques the key take-home from Duxford Monitor Farm tenure

Ahead of moving into a new role as a Senior Associate Director with Strutt & Parker, David, Farm Manager at Law Farming, has been reflecting on his time as part of the Farm Excellence programme. In particular, he found the sessions with business coach Alan Brighton particularly enlightening.

One of Alan’s key teachings is that all businesses have £10, £100 and £1,000 per hour jobs. However, to move a business forward, it is important to have the time to concentrate on ‘working on, not in’ the business, and therefore on the £100-£1,000 per hour jobs, wherever possible. David has found this advice invaluable: “It has been a key changing point in my life and my career and is one of the best things I have ever heard”.

“Alan’s sessions really highlighted areas for me to review and develop, which I have taken on board to make key changes.”

David also said that the Monitor Farm programme has helped to better analyse costs, systems of work and general direction of travel. The ability to share knowledge and on-farm activity, take part in benchmarking and have plans peer reviewed at Monitor Farm meetings has supported David in making on-farm changes.

These changes include moving from an owned to hired machinery fleet, introducing a new cattle enterprise and changing cropping: “The business is now better structured, more efficient and better able to react to changing markets, weather and other pressures, be they financial or on-farm.”

David also describes that his time as a Monitor Farm host has been invaluable in terms of helping him to develop both himself and the business through building strong working relationships with industry experts: “The Monitor Farm programme has been a great platform to access specialist people and knowledge.

“The opportunity to work with such specialists has really helped us to move the business forward and prepare it for the future.”

As David moves onto an exciting new opportunity, carrying out farm management consultancy in Northumberland, Tom Mead will remain as the Duxford Monitor Farm host. The programme will continue over the summer and autumn, concluding in winter 2021/22, with upcoming topics of discussion including ways to improve nitrogen use efficiency and the calculation of carbon emissions and sequestration.

For more information about Duxford Monitor Farm, including topics covered in the meetings, please visit ahdb.org.uk/farm-excellence/duxford.