Farm Business Grant guidance The Farm Business Grant (FBG) will provide farmers in Wales with a 40% contribution towards capital investments in equipment and machinery that have been pre-identified as offering clear and quantifiable benefits to farm enterprises. The minimum grant available is £3,000 and the maximum is £12,000, and only one application will be approved per business during the 4-year lifetime of the Scheme.

Applications to the first window (closed on 30 June 2017) have now been approved, with the second window opening on 2 August 2017 (until 29 September 2017). The third window is expected to open on 2 January 2018. A full list of around 70 eligible items linked to animal health, genetics and performance; crop management; energy efficiency; resource efficiency and ICT  can be seen on the Welsh Government website . Here you will also find a link to the on-line application form.

The key requirements is that  the farm must have registered with Farming Connect before submitting an application, and that a partner/director in the farming business must attend a Farming for the Future Roadshow organised by Farming Connect, as listed on the FC website. The dates for the next round of Roadshows are as follows:-

04/09/17 – Machynlleth

05/09/17- Welshpool

07/09/17 – Brecon

11/09/17- Caernarfon

12/09/17 – Mold

14/09/17 – Nantyffin

18/09/17 – Lampeter

If you would like further assistance with your application, please contact us here at CARA on 01570 471516.

The Single Application Form (SAF) 2017 will be available to complete ONLY via RPW Online from 6th March 2017. The deadline for submitting your SAF, together with all the necessary supporting documents is midnight, Monday 15 May 2017. Any applications and documents submitted from 16 May up to and including Friday 9 June 2017 will receive late claim penalties.

SAF 2017 must be used to claim payment for the following Schemes:-

• Basic Payment Scheme(BPS), including Greening and Young Farmer
• Glastir Entry (GE)
• Glastir Advanced (GA)
• Glastir Organic (GO)
• Glastir Woodland Management (GWM)
• Improved Land Premium (ILP)
• Glastir Woodland Creation Premium (GWCP)
• Glastir Woodland Creation Maintenance (GCM)
• Glastir Woodland Creation Premium (GCP)

You must also complete the SAF if you wish to apply to the National Reserve for an allocation of BPS Entitlements.

As in previous years, CARA staff will be on hand to help you complete your SAF, and you will therefore need to contact the office on 01570 471516 to arrange an appointment as soon as possible.

Farmers can transfer their BPS entitlements by sale, purchase or lease with or without land or via inheritance. Forms must be completed using your RPW Online account before midnight 2 May 2017 in order to make a claim on those entitlements on SAF 2017. Any transfers submitted after that date will not be available to claim on until SAF 2018.

If you are looking to buy or lease entitlements or have some to sell, please contact us here at CARA as soon as possible.

Winter Update

The Welsh Government has produced a Winter Update giving farmers and stakeholders the latest information on agricultural and rural issues.

The South Wales Dairy Conference will be held at the Nant-y-ffîn Hotel, Clynderwen, Pembrokeshire on Tuesday 7th February 2017.

For further details of speakers, and to register an interest in attending please visit the event’s new website http://dairyconference.wales/

Glastir Small Grants contracts are now being issued to those farmers who have been selected as part of the carbon theme, following their expression of interest in the window which closed on 5 August 2016. Contracts need to be accepted within 21 days of issue and are available on your RPW online account. Please note that geotagged photos must be taken before and after capital works and submitted with your Glastir Small Grants claim. Further photo  guidance is available on the Welsh Government’s website, or contact us here at CARA.

Capital Works claims for Glastir Small Grants – carbon theme should be submitted via RPW online by 31 March 2017. Before and after geotagged photos must be uploaded with your claim.

77pence to the Euro exchange rate on 30th September will be used to calculate SFP to be received in December. This is less than last year?

We are coming closer to implementation of the new support system for agriculture, in Wales and Europe wide. This is going to have huge implications to all farming businesses in Wales, and it is now crucial to start planning ahead. The Welsh government have published a consultation document on the changes that they propose.

http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/environmentandcountryside/proposals-for-direct-payments-to-farmers/?lang=en

The link above should take you to the document, it is something that all farm businesses in Wales should read, digest and respond to.

For more help and information on CAP reform, contact CARA for a detailed review of the implications for your business.

Starting to get some silage analysis back now and results look really good. Only problem will be shortages of quantity. For ad-lib silage intakes with dairy cows budget on 11-12 kg dry matter per day, and remember with good silage they will eat more than usual. Assess stocks – 20 kg’s of silage per cubic foot of clamp, and work out how much there is, budget how much is needed, and be realistic on who really needs the good stuff. Heifers on straw and maize gluten (£180-190/tonne at present) is a really effective system and will save some silage for the millers.

When balancing winter rations, try and take advice from an independent nutritionist – they won’t try to sell you something you don’t need!

Phone us for more advice.

Every business we are dealing with are experiencing cashflow pressures, suppliers are finding customers are taking longer to pay bills. It is crucial that all parties communicate at an early stage, explain the issues, and give realistic payment timings. Don’t expect suppliers to be comfortable with deferred payment, but offer interest, and part payments if the whole balance cannot be cleared.

Speak to the bank at an early stage to see if they are able to offer assistance. Producing a cashflow projection should help to see where the position improves. We can help in the production of a cashflow and budget, contact us, and let us help release some pressure.