Farm Relations Advisor

About the Role

This position focuses on advising and supporting farms in accordance with current and emerging requirements from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). The role emphasizes building and maintaining robust relationships with ArraTipp's milk suppliers in the Galway area.

Key Responsibilities

• Offer comprehensive farm advisory services, especially targeting improvements in raw milk quality within the ArraTipp milk supplier network.
• Advocate and foster adherence to high milk quality standards at the farm level, serving as a reliable advisor and sounding board to farmers.
• Collaborate closely with milk suppliers to ensure that raw milk supplied to ArraTipp Co-op meets stringent criteria concerning quality, safety, and traceability.
• Work alongside new farm entrants and oversee the New Entrant Programme for ArraTipp.
• Maintain close partnerships with regulatory agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Animal Health Ireland, and Bord Bia.
• Administer and supervise the Bord Bia database to guarantee that the ArraTipp milk pool complies with Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS) standards and Grass-fed criteria.
• Implement and manage programs aimed at improving Somatic Cell Count (SCC) and Total Bacterial Count (TBC) within the milk pool.
• Report any farm or milk quality concerns directly to the Farm Relations Manager and assist in troubleshooting these issues.
• Encourage farm sustainability efforts that produce both ecological and financial benefits for milk suppliers.
• Provide direct assistance for Bord Bia farm inspections and ArraTipp’s internal farm inspection programs.
• Support the organization and coordination of farm walks and related farm events.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Possession of a degree in Agriculture, Food Science, or a related discipline.
• Strong expertise in the agricultural sector, with up-to-date knowledge of sustainability and quality best practices.
• Excellent communication abilities, both written and verbal.
• Prior involvement or familiarity with regulatory inspections is highly desirable.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, capable of establishing and nurturing effective working relationships.
• Proficient in computer use and relevant software.
• Capable of handling significant areas of responsibility independently.
• Highly motivated with a proactive approach to duties and challenges.

Additional Information

Note that job responsibilities may evolve over time to meet the changing needs of the business.