Picture the scene. A hot August evening on a Staffordshire dairy farm, prime cuts sizzling on the barbecue, a crate of beers, 20 dairy farmers and plenty of straight talking. That was the vibe for the first meeting of RABDF’s new Entrepreneurs Club.
The two-day event in Staffordshire, run in collaboration with The Andersons Centre and AHDB Dairy, was the perfect way to kick off The Club, providing the chance for former Entrepreneurs in Dairy (EiD) course members to reconnect, exchange insights and share stories of how their dairy businesses have developed since attending the course.
The Club was hosted by Hywel and Kirsty James, Lower Barton Farm, who talked about their business journey since completing the EiD course in 2022. The couple spoke openly about securing a 25-year tenancy, sharing the challenges they faced, the key decisions they made, and the lessons they learned along the way.
RABDF Vice-Chair, Tim Downes, opened the event, saying: “It’s great to be amongst so many inspiring minds. The Entrepreneurs Club has been created after EiD delegates asked for more opportunities to continue learning and networking after the programme finished.
“Since its launch in 2012, EiD has supported almost 500 aspiring dairy producers. Building on that success, The Club creates a network for former course delegates to share knowledge and learn from each other. Together, members will build valuable connections that support their career progression, business growth and promote excellence across the dairy sector.”
Day two of the launch event focused on the business side of dairying, with sessions covering the current dairy market, the milk-price cycle, taxation, forward budgeting and strengthening the balance sheet. Members worked with their own business figures alongside EiD partner Tony Evans, AHDB market expert Susie Stannard and Old Mill Accountant, Janet Woodford
This first event was full of honest conversations and useful advice, and there’s plenty more to come.
Want to be In Da Club? Former EiD course delegates can sign up to be Entrepreneur Club members here.
Aspiring producers looking to develop dairy business skills and get started in the industry can sign up to The 2026 Entrepreneurs in Dairying (EiD) programme here. Applications are open until August 30th
