NEARLY A YEAR INTO A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, AND 28-YEAR-OLD RHYS RICHARDS IS PROVING HOW COLLABORATION BETWEEN FARMERS CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL INVOLVED.

Rhys was employed as an agricultural contractor after periods of
working on farms but his ambition was to get a foothold on the farming
ladder

With assistance from Farming Connect’s ‘Venture’ initiative, he has
achieved that goal, farming in partnership with brothers Nick and
David Nichols, who run 60 Limousin-cross and Simmental-cross suckler
beef cows on an organic system at 320-acre Gwernant Farm near
Rhydlewis, Llandysul.

The brothers are both in their late sixties and wanted reduce their
day-to-day farming commitments.

Rhys, Nick and David had registered with ‘Venture’ – a Farming
Connect programme that matches landowners and farmers with those
seeking a new route into the industry – and were supported through the
process of establishing a partnership agreement for the livestock
element of the business.

“We received funding to be guided through the process by John Crimes
of CARA Wales and for a solicitor to draw up the partnership agreement
which was a very extensive piece of paperwork,” Nick explains.

“It simplified the whole process and the financial assistance we
received was very welcome.”

Rhys has now been farming at Gwernant for nearly a year and says it
is the best decision he has ever made.

“It is so difficult to get a foothold in farming, I’m really grateful
of this opportunity.”

The agreement provides Rhys with a house on the farm and an income
and, within five years of the agreement starting, he will have accrued
ownership of a percentage of the livestock. For the brothers, it means
they can delegate many of their responsibilities to Rhys.

“We didn’t want to sell the farm but we were finding the physical
work more difficult. This agreement has taken the pressure off us both
physically and mentally,” says David.

“We are delighted to give a new entrant an opportunity to farm. Rhys
has a vested interest in the end product so there is an incentive for
him to run the herd well.”

Rhys is delivering on expectations. “We had an excellent calving this
spring with no losses,” says Nick.

The agreement has meant a cut in income for the brothers but in
return Rhys does most of the physical work and the paperwork. “It
seems a reasonable swap to us,” reasons Nick.

The Venture programme has attracted more than 170 applicants since it
was first launched in December 2015. To date, 29 matches have been
identified, 7 brand new joint ventures have been established and a new
autumn recruitment campaign is set to boost that number further. Over
the next few weeks a series of Venture workshops are taking place to
provide information about the key stages of setting up a joint
venture, whether it’s a suitable option for you and above all, meet
potential business partners in the area.

Once you register with Venture and attend a workshop, Farming Connect
is able to provide tailored support to both parties through a range of
knowledge transfer and training activities, together with confidential
advisory and mentoring services, many of which are either fully funded
or subsidised.

All the autumn workshops will begin at 6:00pm and finish at 9:30pm.

Tuesday 26 September – Brecon Castle Hotel, Castle Square, Brecon,
Powys, LD3 9DB

Wednesday 27 September – Welshpool Livestock Market, Buttington
Cross, Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8SR

Tuesday 3 October – Llety Cynin, Llangynin Road, St Clears,
Carmarthenshire, SA33 4JR

Wednesday 4 October – Feathers Hotel, Alban Square, Aberaeron,
Ceredigion, SA46 0AQ

Tuesday 10 October – Celtic Royal Hotel, Bangor St, Caernarfon,
Gwynedd, LL55 1AY

Wednesday 11 October – Ruthin Livestock Market, Parc Glasdir,
Ruthin, Denbighshire, LL15 1PB

All places must be booked in advance by calling Gwen Davies on 01745
770039 or email gwen.davies@menterabusnes.co.uk [3]

To request a copy of the new Farming Connect Venture handbook, please
contact Gwen Davies using the above details.

Farming Connect provides knowledge transfer and advice to all
agricultural sectors and is funded by the Welsh Government Rural
Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded
by the European Agricultural

Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

AC YNTAU MEWN CYTUNDEB PARTNERIAETH ERS BRON I FLWYDDYN, MAE RHYS
RICHARDS SY’N 28 OED YN DANGOS SUT Y GALL CYDWEITHIO RHWNG FFERMWYR
FOD O FANTAIS I BOB OCHR O’R FENTER.

Bu Rhys yn gweithio fel contractwr amaethyddol yn dilyn cyfnodau o
weithio ar ffermydd ond ei uchelgais oedd gallu dechrau ar yrfa o
ffermio.

Gyda chymorth gan raglen ‘Mentro’ Cyswllt Ffermio, mae wedi
cyflawni’r nod hwnnw gan ffermio mewn partneriaeth ‘r brodyr Nick a
David Nichols, sy’n cadw 60 o wartheg bff sugno croes Limousin a
Simmental mewn system organig ar fferm 320 erw Gwernant ger Rhydlewis,
Llandysul.

Mae’r ddau frawd yn eu chwedegau hwyr ac yn dymuno cwtogi ar eu
hymrwymiadau ffermio dyddiol.

Roedd Rhys, Nick a David wedi cofrestru ‘Mentro’ – rhaglen Cyswllt
Ffermio sy’n paru perchnogion tir a ffermwyr ‘r rheiny sy’n ceisio
llwybr newydd i mewn i’r diwydiant – a chawsant eu cefnogi drwy’r
broses o sefydlu cytundeb partneriaeth ar gyfer yr elfen o’r busnes yn
ymwneud da byw.

“Fe gawson ni gymorth ariannol i gael ein tywys drwy’r broses gan
John Crimes o CARA Wales ac i gyfreithiwr lunio cytundeb partneriaeth
a oedd yn ddarn o waith papur eang iawn,” meddai Nick.

“Fe symleiddiodd y broses gyfan ac roedd y cymorth ariannol a gawson
ni’n dderbyniol iawn.”

Mae Rhys wedi bod yn ffermio ar fferm Gwernant am bron i flwyddyn
bellach ac mae’n dweud mai dyma’r penderfyniad gorau iddo ei wneud
erioed.

“Mae mor anodd cael eich traed danoch mewn amaethyddiaeth, ac rwy’n
wirioneddol ddiolchgar am y cyfle hwn.”

Mae’r cytundeb yn darparu t ar y fferm i Rhys yn ogystal ag incwm ac,
o fewn pum mlynedd i ddechrau’r cytundeb, bydd wedi sicrhau
perchnogaeth o ganran o’r da byw.

O ran y brodyr, mae’n golygu y gallan nhw ddirprwyo llawer o’u
cyfrifoldebau i Rhys.

“Doedd arnon ni ddim eisiau gwerthu’r fferm ond roedd y gwaith
corfforol yn mynd yn fwy anodd. Mae’r cytundeb hwn wedi lleihau’r
pwysau arnom ni yn gorfforol ac yn feddyliol,” meddai David.

“Rydyn ni’n hynod falch o roi cyfle i rywun newydd ffermio. Mae gan
Rhys ddiddordeb personol yn y cynnyrch terfynol felly mae yna ysgogiad
iddo reoli’r gwartheg yn dda.”

Mae Rhys yn cyflawni’r disgwyliadau. “Roedd y cyfnod lloia’n
ardderchog y gwanwyn hwn heb unrhyw golledion,” meddai Nick.

Mae’r cytundeb wedi golygu gostyngiad mewn incwm i’r brodyr ond yn
gyfnewid am hynny Rhys sy’n gwneud y rhan fwyaf o’r gwaith corfforol
a’r gwaith papur. “Mae’n gyfnewidiad rhesymol yn ein tyb ni,” yw
rhesymeg Nick.

Mae’r rhaglen Mentro wedi denu dros 170 o ymgeiswyr ers ei lansio y
tro cyntaf ym mis Rhagfyr 2015. Hyd yma, mae 29 pr wedi’u canfod, mae
7 o fentrau ar y cyd newydd sbon wedi’u sefydlu ac mae ymgyrch
recriwtio newydd yn yr hydref yn barod i gynyddu’r nifer hwnnw
ymhellach. Dros yr ychydig wythnosau nesaf fe gynhelir cyfres o
weithdai Mentro newydd i ddarparu gwybodaeth am gyfnodau allweddol
sefydlu menter ar y cyd, a yw’n opsiwn addas i chi ac, yn bwysicach na
dim, cyfarfod phartneriaid busnes posibl yn yr ardal

Unwaith y byddwch yn cofrestru Mentro ac yn mynychu gweithdy, gall
Cyswllt Ffermio ddarparu cymorth pwrpasol i’r ddwy ochr drwy ystod o
weithgareddau trosglwyddo gwybodaeth a hyfforddiant, ynghyd
gwasanaethau cynghori cyfrinachol a mentora gyda llawer o’r rheiny
naill ai wedi’u hariannu’n llawn neu’n rhannol.

Bydd pob un o weithdai’r hydref yn dechrau am 6:00yh ac yn gorffen am
9:30yh.

Dydd Mawrth 26 Medi – Gwesty Brecon Castle, Sgwr y Castell,
Aberhonddu, Powys, LD3 9DB

Dydd Mercher 27 Medi – Marchnad Anifeiliaid y Trallwng, Buttington
Cross, Y Trallwng, Powys, SY21 8SR

Dydd Mawrth 3 Hydref – Llety Cynin, Heol Llangynin, Sanclr, Sir
Gaerfyrddin, SA33 4JR

Dydd Mercher 4 Hydref – Feathers Hotel, Alban Square, Aberaeron,
Ceredigion, SA46 0AQ

Dydd Mawrth 10 Hydref – Gwesty’r Celtic Royal, Stryd Bangor,
Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 1AY

Dydd Mercher 11 Hydref – Marchnad Anifeiliaid Rhuthun, Parc Glasdir,
Rhuthun, Sir Ddinbych, LL15 1PB

Mae’n rhaid archebu pob lle ymlaen llaw drwy ffonio Gwen Davies ar
01745 770039 neu e-bost gwen.davies@menterabusnes.co.uk [1]

I dderbyn copi o lawlyfr ‘Mentro’ Cyswllt Ffermio, cysylltwch Gwen
Davies gan ddefnyddio’r manylion uchod.

Mae Cyswllt Ffermio yn darparu gwasanaethau trosglwyddo gwybodaeth a
chyngor i bob sector amaethyddol ac mae’n cael ei ariannu gan
Gymunedau Gwledig Llywodraeth Cymru – Rhaglen Datblygu Gwledig
2014-2020, a ariennir gan Gronfa Amaethyddol Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu
Gwledig a Llywodraeth Cymru.