Discussion Group Facilitation Sometimes the best business insights can come from fellow farmers. Therefore, we work closely with groups of farmers across the UK through the facilitation of focused discussion groups which maximises the chances of obtaining such insights. These groups offer a cost-effective way to access expert consultancy while benefiting from shared experience and encouragement among like-minded peers. Our current discussion groups cover key areas of farm management, including: Beef and sheep production Crop production management Milk and feed forecasting Grassland management Livestock nutrition and health Machinery and labour profiling By working together, group members not only gain technical insight and up-to-date guidance but also support each other in identifying opportunities and driving practical on-farm improvements. If you would like to learn more about our discussion group facilitation services, please contact our team. We’d be pleased to discuss how this approach could benefit your business. Testimonials "Anna Bowen has been working with the Dairy Celts Discussion Group (members located in Mid/South Pembs and W Carms) for the last 18+ months leading a number of on-farm meetings and a CFP workshop. Anna has demonstrated a great knowledge on a number of topics ranging from production efficiency and nutrient management to farm labour and succession, she is incredibly professional taking time to learn about host farms/farmers ahead of meetings. Anna, from The Andersons Centre is a fantastic source of extra technical and up to date information which was apparent via our annual CFP meeting e.g. performance/market data, often suggesting new ideas about how to overcome problems on farm or suggestions about how the host farm/group can improve efficiency. In summary, Anna has brought energy and new ideas to the group which members have enjoyed especially the interactive breakout sessions. "Steven Bradley, Farmer How can our Discussion group services help you? To learn more about how our discussion group services could support your business, click below Key Contacts Oliver Hall Partner & Senior Farm Business Consultant Discussion Group Facilitation Partner & Senior Farm Business Consultant Oliver is a Partner and Senior Farm Business Consultant within the Andersons Consultancy Team. He plays an active role in his own family livestock enterprise and also invests in several dairy businesses across the UK, giving him first-hand insight into the commercial realities faced by farmers. Oliver’s specialist skills include developing farming joint ventures such as contract and share-farming arrangements, as well as providing farm business management advice, budgeting support, and long-term strategic and succession planning. He undertakes detailed investment appraisals and loan applications, alongside coaching businesses in high-utilisation grassland systems. His dairy expertise covers infrastructure design, technical KPI development, and quantifying the financial benefits of performance improvements, as well as overseeing transitional and turnaround management. He also facilitates farmer-led dairy discussion groups. Outside of work, Oliver enjoys weekend farming. He also values time with his family and takes every opportunity to play sport and keep active. Qualifications & Experience 2021 - Partner, The Andersons Centre 2017- Senior Farm business consultant, The Andersons Centre 2014 –ILM- Lean Management In Dairy Farming 2010 - Co founder of Evolution Farming – Multi Site Pasture based dairy business 2009-2010 – Farm business consultant, The Andersons Centre 2008- Family farming partnership, West Yorkshire 2005-2008 – The Royal Agricultural College – Bsc (Hons) Agriculture Areas of Expertise Farming Joint Ventures, Contract Farming and Share Farming Farm Business Management and budgeting Farm Strategy and Succession Planning Farm Investment Appraisals and Loan Applications Grassland management Practical knowledge of farm management Anna Bowen Farm Business Consultant Discussion Group Facilitation Farm Business Consultant Anna is a Senior Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre, specialising in dairy consultancy and nutrient management planning. Her work encompasses financial, strategic, and technical advice for dairy farmers; succession planning and people management, benchmarking; facilitating a number of dairy discussion groups across England and Wales, and working alongside the research team on dairy projects. Anna is FACTS qualified. Prior to Andersons Anna spent ten years working for a dairy consultancy in West Wales and read BSc (Hons) International Equine and Agricultural Management and MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security at the Royal Agricultural College. Anna manages a spring block calving dairy farm through a contract farming agreement and grew up on a dairy farm in West Wales. She sits on the AHDB Dairy Sector Council as a farmer representative and from 2023 to 2025 was a Trustee of the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust. Qualifications & Experience February 2022 to Present Day – Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre Previously worked as a farm business consultant in West Wales Contract farms a 300- cow spring block calving herd in Ceredigion FACTS qualified RoMS accredited mobility scorer Approved Mastitis Control Plan and QuarterPro deliverer 2021 Nuffield Scholar- “Can the UK improve the ethics of its dairy calf management whilst retaining profitability?” 2019 Entrepreneurs in Dairying course 2017 Richard John Memorial Trust Scholarship, studied the sustainability of the Australian dairy industry 2016 MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security (Royal Agricultural College) 2014 BSc (Hons) International Equine and Agricultural Management (Royal Agricultural College) Fluent Welsh speaker Areas of Expertise Farm business consultancy and budgeting Business reviews and strategic planning Practical experience of farm management Dairy farming, particularly spring block calving Nutrient management planning (Farming Connect approved) Herd health Publications Bowen A. (2023) Cow Calf Contact: Dairy’s Ethical Future Interim Nuffield report investigating the prevalence of calf euthanasia on UK dairy farms Kerry Jerman Farm Business Consultant Discussion Group Facilitation Farm Business Consultant Kerry has over 13 years of experience as a Farm Business Consultant for The Andersons Centre, with particular expertise in the beef and sheep sector, and Welsh Farming Policy. She specialises in strategic, financial and technical advice within her consultancy work with a wide variation of clients including small family farms as well as livestock enterprises on larger estates. This work is a mix of one-off jobs aswell as ongoing management work. She facilitates a number of Farming Connect funded discussion groups and has also done a wide range of work with benchmarking, particularly within the Welsh Beef and Sheep Industry. Outside of farm consultancy, she runs a small upland flock of 200 ewes and is also heavily involved in her family farm, comprising of 1,300 breeding ewes and 70 suckler cows. Qualifications & Experience December 2014 – BIAC Rural and Agricultural Consultants Foundation Course August 2013 to Present Day – Farm Business Consultant at The Andersons Centre April 2013 – July 2013 - Lambing assistant and sheep worker for a local sheep and beef farmer July 2012 – April 2013 - Assistant Dairy Herdsman on 450 cow herd near Hamilton, New Zealand 2009 - 2012 – Aberystwyth University. 2:1 BSc Hons Agriculture with Business Studies. The course focused on the UK agricultural industry with business principles built in 2006 to Present– Working in the family farming business. The farm is predominantly sheep along with a small suckler herd which sells offspring as forward stores Areas of Expertise Farm Consultancy Farming Connect (FC) accredited
