Agricultural consultant : Training

The training offered by agricultural consultancies varies depending on the size of the company and the needs of the business. It may involve in-house training supervised by a senior and more experienced colleague, or be a mixture of external short courses and project work.

Consultants working in the technical side of agricultural consultancy may need to undergo specific training. For example, those involved in crop consultancy may need to undertake training for the Fertiliser Advisers Certification and Training Scheme (FACTS) , which provides a recognised level of competence in crop nutrition and fertiliser use.

As an independent consultant, it is your responsibility to keep up to date both in your specialist area and in the agricultural sector overall. This is done mainly through personal contacts, short courses and attendance at conferences, and may be at your own expense.

Membership of professional bodies such as the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants (BIAC)  and the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC)  can enhance professional knowledge and may offer the opportunity to follow a programme of continuous professional development (CPD).

Some consultants choose to study a related Masters degree part time to extend their knowledge. This may be supported by the employer if it is something that enables the consultant to give more specialist advice.