1. Seite 104.09.2015 Competencies and certifications of advisors in Austria (FAS – CC) Wolfgang Etzl Budapest 05.10.2006

2. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 2 Criteria of input for advisors I Education level University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Federal Secondary Colleges (HBLA) for Agriculture, Forestry, Nutrition, Home Economics Agricultural education or a scientific study in a field which is closely linked with agriculture is required.

3. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 3 Criteria of input for advisors II Required experience and practice The training can be started right after the university or after the HBLA has been completed Earlier working times or practical experience are not required Agrarian Teacher and Consultant Training College

4. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 4 Certifications I Responsibility The ministry of Agriculture is responsible for the implementation of FAS The Division for Schools, Adult Training and Extension Service in the MoA is the contact point for all matters of agricultural extension and thus also for the introduction of the FAS. There are no other state organisations in charge of this task.

5. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 5 Certifications II Target groups = who will be certified If the relevant requirements are fulfilled, different advisory organisations can bid for carrying out extension tasks within the framework of FAS The organisations must have been active on the advisory market for at least 2 years. They must have corresponding branch offices in the regions where they want to offer the advisory service All fields of extension of relevance to cross compliance must be covered. Qualified advisors with the willing to undergo further CC-training Austrians largest advisory organisation (Chamber of Agriculture) has undertaken to cover all CC-relevant issues of extension and to offer farmers this advisory service.

6. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 6 Procedure of certification I Form of registration – procedure A contract between the MoA an the advisory organisation (Chamber of Agriculture) This contract regulates which requirements the advisory organisation has to satisfy and which qualifications the advisors have to fulfill. There is on special register in Austria

7. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 7 Evaluation 2010 All CC-advisors have to record the extension services they provide in the computing-supported reviews. The records have to be communicated to the MoA every six month. Overview of the performance of the extension services If necessary steering measures

8. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 8 Education I General – Education in CC and GAEC The contents of CC and GAEC are already now central components of the agricultural extension system Already now the advisors must be able to offer detailed information on these topics. A training offered especially for the FAS is therefore only to a small extent necessary and useful.

9. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 9 Education II Institutional courses State institution: –Agrarian Teacher and Consultant Training College, Vienna –Annual one-day further training event on federal level where the new advisory knowledge concerning CC is presented Semi-public institutions: –Based on the training courses held at the Agrarian Teacher and Consultant Training College the Chamber of Agriculture offers own further training events on CC, if need is, carried out by the Chambers of Agriculture Manuals –PPT presentation dealing with the CC-issues –Brochures –Check lists,…

10. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 10 Education III Duration One day on federal level different in the individual Provinces, depending on the need Examination No examination Advisors as a target group Over 300 advisors

11. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 11 Education IV Contents The issues of CC and GAEC are only partly communicated in a separate training. However, the contents of CC and GAEC are often parts of courses for agricultural advisors on other agricultural topics like animal health, plant protection, construct,… Advisory tools CC files Check list Brochures PPT presentations Agricultural and environmental software …

12. BMLFUW, Abt. II/2, Etzl Seite 12 Others Labour safety Not in particular connected with CC Advice on labour safety is offered by the Farmers‘ Social Security Institution (SVB) Good practices Extension in this field is offered also by the Chamber of Agriculture, by the same advisors who provide advice in the field of CC