What is farm advisory?
This article explains what subsidized farm advisory services are all about from a farmer's perspective, and how the advice works.
What does supported farm advisory mean?
We sometimes hear from farmers that they don't know how subsidized farm advisory services work. Some are not even aware that the advisory service exists. For many, advisory services are part of their everyday lives and the cycle of the year, but surprisingly many do not make use of the service.
All EU countries have their own farm advisory system. The core purpose of the advice is to help farmers understand and comply with EU rules on the environment, public health, animal welfare and good agricultural and environmental practices.
Every Finnish farm can receive advice worth 10,000 euros in 2023–2027, regardless of production trend or scale. The EU Rural Fund will reimburse the cost of an advisory visit at a rate of 75 euros/hour. If the advice costs more, the advisor will agree on the price with the farmer. The farmer will pay any part of the advice that exceeds 75 euros/hour and the VAT share.
All advisors accepted into the advisor register are committed to providing high-quality and confidential advice. This means that advisors will not share your condition with anyone.
What matters can you get advice on?
The advisory system provides information on the following topics:
statutory management requirements and farm-level obligations arising from the measures required for maintaining the land in good agricultural and environmental condition (supplementary conditions)
climate- and environment-friendly agricultural practices and agricultural land management (greening)
actions defined in rural development programmes aimed at modernising farms, improving competitiveness, sectoral integration, innovation and market orientation, and promoting entrepreneurship
requirements for efficient and sustainable water use and water protection
use of plant protection products and integrated pest management
health and welfare of farm animals
The advisory system may also cover the following subject areas:
promoting changes in farms and diversifying their economic activities
risk management and preventive measures to combat natural disasters, catastrophes and animal and plant diseases
minimum requirements for payments for environmental and climate actions exceeding the mandatory standards for agri-environment-climate payments
climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity and water protection.
conditions for farmer subsidies
well-being and work
farm development and resilience
You can find more detailed information about the areas of advice on the Finnish Food Authority's website.
Farm advice in practice
Agriculture and food production are highly skilled sectors, and the wide range of topics covered in the advice reflects this. The sector requires in-depth knowledge of several areas: biology, technology, chemistry, financial management, markets, management, construction, entrepreneurship, digitalization, ecology, etc. A farmer is a true MacGyver and a multi-skilled worker. And that's not enough: they also need to be able to cope and be able to do it all the time.
In reality, all the information needed in farming and developing farming cannot possibly be controlled by one person. That is why the state supports farmers in many ways and also supports advisory services. Advisors are deeply familiar with and trained in some aspects of farming and food production and are able to help with their insights in decision-making, increasing expertise and solving problems in many ways.
Almost every producer often has a decision to make, an acute dilemma or a farming technical challenge, or potential for developing the farm's resources that their own time and expertise simply don't have enough for. With the right advisor, decisions, problem-solving, and farm development are more successful.
There are several hundred advisors approved by the Finnish Food Authority in Finland, and their educational and professional backgrounds are diverse. To put it simply, you can get help with almost any issue on the farm from an advisor. Confidentially and with support.
The advisor does not do things for the farmer, but provides insight, information and discussion assistance. The need always comes from the farm. With the support of an advisor, you can, for example, improve farming techniques, make different plans for the farm, define and solve problems. You can investigate the conditions of subsidies in more detail, improve working conditions, solve coping issues or develop your own skills. With an advisor, you can work on investments, land management and animal care measures, generational change, security of supply, financial performance, energy solutions, etc.
In short, advisors provide confidential and professional insight into small and large everyday farm solutions. The advisor works on the farmer's terms and participates when needed and helps, especially in measures that the producer does not have enough time, expertise and resources to handle.
Many advisors are producers themselves, and most are of a type that is particularly suited to helping other farmers. A better title than advisor might be coach: he does not play for the athlete and is often not as good a “player on the same playing field” as the farmer himself. But he has the special skills of a coach and extensive knowledge of the sport itself. Advisors are constantly training and expanding their knowledge, and they know other advisors and can recommend external support that is appropriate to the need.
How does counseling work in practice and where can counselors be found?
The advice is based on the farm's needs and is specified by agreement with the advisor. Advice can be provided on site or support can also be received in an online meeting. One so-called "advice session" can be a single conversation of an hour or two, or something can be worked on together for a longer period of time. Advisors can be found in large organizations, as well as a few smaller ones. A large part of the advisors are private entrepreneurs.
The need for advice does not have to be crystal clear when the farmer contacts him. The need and wishes are always discussed at the beginning. Once the subject area, theme or problem that the advice wants to address has been identified together, the actual advice event begins. To get started, the farmer needs a farm ID, which the advisor uses to submit an application to the Finnish Food Authority. The issue in question is discussed together until it is concluded that this is enough at this point. A typical advice event lasts 4-15 hours. The advisor also does preparatory work independently in the background.
The advisor ensures the confidentiality of the process and compliance with the requirements, makes a report on the event and fills in the Finnish Food Authority form. The customer reads and accepts if the description corresponds to the advice provided. The advisor uses the form and report to apply for his/her own fee from the Finnish Food Authority.
The producer will receive an invoice from the advisor for at least the VAT portion. Some advisory companies may invoice more than the advisory fee (75 e/h) and this additional fee will then also be payable to the customer. The advisor must inform the customer about the pricing of the service before the service starts.
Organic, regenerative farming, agroecology and permaculture in advisory services
As the MAA-akatemia advisory team, we bring advisory expertise related to organic, regenerative farming and broadly sustainable food production under one roof so that farmers can find advice that is right for their situation.
Whether it's crop rotation, soil health, finances, investments, coping, or more comprehensive questions related to the future of the farm and decision-making, we can help. We use methods in our advice that are always based on the producer's real needs.
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