Applications are open for this year’s intake of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Agricultural Business Operations courses.

Last year, 166 people successfully completed the Level II courses.

Training is delivered over 20 weeks from October until March across one of the three CAFRE campuses. Last year, a total of seven classes covered the three agricultural sectors.

97% of students said they were satisfied with the course and felt it will be of benefit to them when running their farm business.

Co. Antrim farmer William Dennison, who successfully completed the course along with his son and brother, said: “I really enjoyed the course and learned a lot and it suited me that it was held in the evenings. I would thoroughly recommend the course to anyone interested in agriculture and thinking of applying for the Young Farmers’ Payment or Regional Reserve Scheme.”

All of the classes will be based in one of the three CAFRE Campuses – Greenmount, Loughry and Enniskillen – from Monday to Wednesday. Classes will be sector-based and include dairying, beef, sheep, horticulture, poultry and crops.

Places can be booked on this year’s courses on the CAFRE website. The cost of the course is £150.

For further information, contact CAFRE Industry Training Administration on: 028-9442-6880; or, alternatively, by email at: [email protected].