Predominately rural region, Haloze Hills in Slovenia, hosted the 3rd National Discussion Circle meeting and an announcement of the NEWBIE Award of the Year 2018 within the occasion of the 5th Slovenian Rural Parliament (October 8, 2019) with more than 350 participants.
3rd Discussion Circle meeting was focused on supportive environment for new entrants (young and new farmers). The participants identified two key obstacles of young and new farmers, i. e. access to market and a lack of farm succession. The participants proposed two solutions: 1) support to farmers’ cooperation by co-financing administrative and promotion costs in the early years (up to 5) of operation, and 2) to stimulate a farm succession with a rent (for senior farmer) or mentorship payment.
In the evening, a formal ceremony with an announcement of the NEWBIE Award 2018 in Slovenia was held. Ms. Silvia Michelini, a representative of DG Agri, awarded the Biodynamic farm “Turinek – Zlate misli (Golden thoughts)”. The awarded farm represents a circular economic unit with well interrelated production, processing and selling. They access the market in a very original and highly innovative way, including crowd funding. The farm has developed a wide range of knowledge transfer, including international exchanges of trainees, exchange of volunteers and woofing. Future plans for the farm are oriented towards sustainable development, are optimistic and focused on the key issues: to increase resilience in production and selling.
