A B+LNZ Hub Farm is a small group learning initiative introduced into the extension programme as part of B+LNZ’s refreshed strategy. It follows a single farm business’s change journey over 2–3 years providing a venue for sharing learnings, and creating awareness of challenges and opportunities.
What is a Hub Farm?
Hub farms follow a farm business journey helping the wider community of farmers to see change in real time, understand regional challenges and opportunities and implications in a farming system to support translating insights into their own farm business activities to support thriving farm businesses now and into the future.
Typically, a B+LNZ Hub Farms tenure will be for 3 years with 3–4 activities or events per year.
B+LNZ Hub Farms near you
Some B+LNZ Hub Farms have already kicked off across the country. Reach out to your local Extension Manager to learn more about your local Hub Farm and planned activity in your region.
Local community involvement
The programme is guided and supported by local community involvement and commitment with specialists' input to aid planning and implementation.
The local Hub Farm programme and activities is facilitated by B+LNZ Extension Managers and supported by the B+LNZ Farmer Council.
About being involved
The first B+LNZ Hub Farms have been established. We will be looking for more farms to work with and below is someone information about what it involves and the benefits. If you are interested in being involved in the programme, please contact your local Extension Manager.
What’s involved in being a B+LNZ Hub Farm
- Working closely with the B+LNZ Extension Manager and local Steering Group to plan and deliver open field days.
- Being on a journey of system change or business improvement.
- Communicating information about the farm and business plan and progress in a public forum.
- Carrying out the core monitoring parameters as agreed to support relevant information and data needed to understand the implications and impact of decisions over time.
- Collecting and maintaining other key farm business information agreed as part of the Hub Farm project with the Extension Manager and Steering Group.
- Being open to input and new thinking with a commitment to adoption of advice from identified experts and Steering Group.
- Sharing your learnings and receiving input from a wide group of farmers and experts to enable successful implementation and analysis.
What are likely benefits to being a Hub Farm
- Support and encouragement to achieve the goals you’ve set for your farming business.
- Access to specialist advice, experience and information relevant to the plan and goals you have for your farming business.
- Access to relevant technology and tools and support to adopt, adapt and implement these into your farm business to support achievement of the goals you’ve set.
- Support to establish a farm business plan and supporting budget.
- Developing a network of supporting farmers and rural professionals.