What Gets Your Goat! Farm Secretaries butt back (From Smallholder)

What Gets Your Goat! Farm Secretaries butt back

8:14am Tuesday 10th August 2010 in

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The Institute of Agricultural Secretaries and Administrators (IAgSA) have been incensed for a long time by the poor image their members have in the eye of the general public. A few typical ignorant comments that enrage them all are “Farm Secretaries are not professionals”

“Farm secretaries are perceived to wear tweeds and pearls”

How can people be so wrong one asks, but perhaps it is not until recently that this has become a recognised profession, one that those not directly involved in farming could consider studying or training for. In the past farm secretaries are assumed to be the farmer’s wife or daughter simply preparing a few invoices and dealing with the odd cheque or two.

This is the complete opposite to reality. Today’s farm secretary must be a competent worker with high standards of literacy and numeracy as well as having a sound knowledge about farming. In addition it helps if they are an amateur psychologist!

Similar to the nursing profession, farm secretaries often under-sell their skills – it is a very demanding job and includes managing the minefield of government rules and regulations.

The image comes from the ‘olden days’ when so called farm secretaries were probably of the older generation. In this 21st century , farm secretaries are busy, young, enthusiastic, well qualified men and women, often looking after several businesses at one time; able to turn their hands at milking, herding cattle or moving stock, assisting with calving or lambing and generally helping the farming family in a multitude of tasks. On top of this managing the complex business of farm accounts across all aspects – flexibility is the key.

Running a farm efficiently and expertly is essential in these days where farmer’s livelihoods are constantly under threat from a combination of government legislation, supermarket demands and council dictums, so the farm secretary is pivotal in ensuring that the business runs smoothly.

As an aside, it is of great concern to the IAgSA that colleges are now running fewer courses for this qualification. They are dealing with this by developing their own modular course which will complement the accountancy courses by adding the ‘quirkiness’ required for farm bookkeeping!.

For more information on the work of the IAgSA and its members contact Ros Foreman on 01962 763900