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.

Our annual benchmarking of dairy farms continually shows yield from forage to be a key profit driver. Now that grass quality and growth is at its peak, make full use of it. If cows are are grass full time, with an ME of just over 12, 20 litres of milk is easily possible. Challenge cows who are in calf and condition score 3+, these will produce some cheap milk. Assess the grass, an don’t be afraid to reduce the parlour cake a bit. If you don’t do it now, the chance will be lost.

Cattle Keepers –

It is critical that you notify BCMS of movements within 3 days. Any late notifications could immediately mean a 3% penalty across all schemes, i.e. Single Payment Scheme, Tir Gofal, Tir Cynnal, Tir Mynydd, Organic Farming Scheme.

This is the most common cross compliance failure in Wales. If you require assistance in notifying BCMS, please let us know. We can provide a service to notify CTS online on your behalf.

Soil Assessment –

In the recent wet weather a number of farmers have been penalised for causing soil damage or soil erosion and not recording it in their soil assessment books. If any damage occurs to your fields in wet weather, record it in your soil assessment book immediately, even if you hope to rectify the damage in the near future. This should protect you from any penalty if you were inspected.