Practical days on farms that set the standard

Your farm days, skills demonstrations and placements happen on commercial working farms we’ve selected, inspected and partnered with — not a college demo plot.

FOR LEARNERS

What a farm day looks like

Structured, not standing around

Four planned farm days across the programme plus four-hour, farm-based skills demonstrations per practical module — stations, tasks and assessment criteria you’ve seen in advance.

Capped groups

Group sizes are limited so everyone handles stock, works the task and gets signed off — dates published in advance with backup days.

Safety & biosecurity first

PPE requirements, boot dips and farm rules briefed before you set foot in the yard. Bring clean wellingtons and overalls.

Enterprises matched to your electives: dairy, beef, sheep and tillage hubs across Westmeath, Meath, Offaly, Kildare, Laois, Longford and Roscommon.

Credentials, not claims: Signpost programme farms, Teagasc BETTER Farm participants, and award-winning organic and regenerative enterprises.

Placement rules: host farms are insured and inspected; placements are at least 10km from home; learners under 23 complete theirs off the family farm.

FOR FARMERS

Host learners on your farm

We partner with a small number of high-standard commercial farms as paid Farm Hubs — hosting structured, supervised learning days and placements. It’s teaching on your own ground, not free labour and not an open house.

Current insurance
Safety Statement & Risk Assessment
Biosecurity and welfare standards
A signed Memorandum of Understanding

Agreed payment and cancellation terms
Scheduled, capped groups — no surprises
A Forus trainer leading every session
Recognition as a GCI partner farm

Apply — short farm profile
Visit & suitability checklist
MoU and calendar agreed
Hosting begins with the next cohort

WHY LEARNERS DO THIS AT ALL

Grants & eligibility

LEARNERS

Farm days you can plan around.

Dates published in advance, groups capped, standards set by the farms themselves.