Farming for a sustainable future is within the grasp of all Welsh farmers/Ffermio ar gyfer dyfodol cynaliadwy o fewn gafael holl ffermwyr Cymru

Farming for a sustainable future is within the grasp of all Welsh farmers

Farmers throughout Wales are being urged to examine their business performance closely and find out how they can tackle the critical issue of reducing production costs by attending the next round of Farming Connect ‘Farming for the Future’ regional roadshow events.

Each of the evening events will feature presentations and tips from a speaker line-up that includes some of Wales’ top-performing farmers, whose focus will be on encouraging farmers to find out how benchmarking helped them transform their own on-farm efficiency and increase profit levels. The events will run at locations throughout Wales from 17 January to 1 February 2018.

Also high on the agenda will be promotion of the third application window for the Welsh Government’s Farm Business Grant (FBG) investment scheme, which will run from 29 January to 16 March 2018.

The scheme, which has already received more than 850 applications for funding, provides a contribution of between £3,000 and £12,000 for eligible farmers.  The funding can be used towards the capital outlay for around 70 specified items linked to animal health; genetics and performance; crop management; energy efficiency; resource efficiency and ICT.

In future, all eligible farmers will need to apply for the FBG through Rural Payments Wales’ RPW Online service, the Welsh Government’s online portal for farm businesses.   Detailed information on the scheme, eligibility criteria and the new application processes is available at http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/farmingandcountryside/cap/ruraldevelopment/wales-rural-development-programme-2014-2020/farm-business-grant-scheme/?lang=en

Attending one of the roadshows is a requirement of any individual considering applying for the grant.  Farmers who have already attended a ‘Farming for the Future’ event, donot need to attend again, but are encouraged to do so in order  to learn more about benchmarking and how it can support business performance.

“Equally significant to the number of applications for funding following the first two application windows, was the sharp increase in demand for Farming Connect services which followed each roadshow event,” said Mrs. Elliw Hughes, services manager with Menter a Busnes which delivers Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh Government.

“We saw a significant spike in applications for fully or part-funded business and technical support and the many ways in which Farming Connect can support this, in particular, through the Advisory Service, which provides eligible businesses with up to four instances of advice over a four year period.”

For dates and locations of each Farming for the Future event, visit www.gov.wales/farmingconnect. Booking in advance is essential either via the website or call the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813.

Doors will open for mandatory signing in at 7pm, each event will begin at 7.30 and is expected to end around 9.30pm.

Ffermio ar gyfer dyfodol cynaliadwy o fewn gafael holl ffermwyr Cymru

Mae ffermwyr ledled Cymru yn cael eu hannog i edrych yn fanwl ar berfformiad eu busnesau a chanfod sut y gallan nhw fynd i’r afael â’r mater allweddol o leihau costau cynhyrchu trwy fynychu digwyddiad nesaf y sioe deithiol ranbarthol ‘Ffermio ar gyfer y Dyfodol’ a gynhelir gan Cyswllt Ffermio.

Bydd pob un o’r digwyddiadau gyda’r nos yn cynnwys cyflwyniad a chyngor gan gyfres o siaradwyr sy’n cynnwys rhai o’r ffermwyr sy’n perfformio orau yng Nghymru. Bydd y siaradwyr yn canolbwyntio ar annog ffermwyr i ganfod sut mae meincnodi yn medru bod o gymorth wrth drawsffurfio effeithlonrwydd eu ffermydd a chynyddu eu helw. Bydd y digwyddiadau yn cael eu cynnal mewn lleoliadau ledled Cymru o 17 Ionawr tan 1 Chwefror 2018.

Hefyd ar frig yr agenda fydd hyrwyddo’r trydydd cyfnod ymgeisio ar gyfer cynllun buddsoddi Grant Busnes i Ffermydd (FBG) Llywodraeth Cymru o 29 Ionawr tan 16 Mawrth 2018.

Mae’r cynllun, sydd eisoes wedi derbyn dros 850 o geisiadau, yn darparu cyfraniad rhwng £3,000 a £12,000 ar gyfer ffermwyr cymwys. Gellir defnyddio’r cyllid tuag at wariant cyfalaf ar gyfer tua 70 o eitemau penodol sy’n ymwneud ag iechyd anifeiliaid; geneteg a pherfformiad; rheoli cnydau; effeithlonrwydd ynni; effeithlonrwydd adnoddau a TGCh.

Yn y dyfodol, bydd angen i ffermwyr cymwys wneud cais am yr FBG trwy wasanaeth ar-lein Taliadau Gwledig Cymru, sef porth ar-lein Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer busnesau fferm. Mae mwy o fanylion am y cynllun, y meini prawf cymhwyso a’r broses ymgeisio newydd ar gael yn <http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/farmingandcountryside/cap/ruraldevelopment/wales-rural-development-programme-2014-2020/farm-business-grant-scheme/?skip=1&lang=cy>

Mae’n ofynnol bod unrhyw unigolyn sy’n ystyried gwneud cais am y grant yn mynychu un o’r sioeau teithiol. Nid oes angen i ffermwyr sydd eisoes wedi mynychu digwyddiad ‘Ffermio ar gyfer y Dyfodol’ wneud hynny eto, ond maen nhw’n cael eu hannog i fynychu er mwyn dysgu mwy am feincnodi a sut y gallai hynny gefnogi perfformiad busnesau.

“Roedd y cynnydd yn y galw am wasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio yn dilyn pob digwyddiad y sioe deithiol yr un mor allweddol â’r nifer o geisiadau am gyllid a gyrhaeddodd ar ôl y ddau gyfnod ymgeisio cyntaf,” dywedodd Mrs. Elliw Hughes, Rheolwr Gwasanaethau gyda Menter a Busnes sy’n darparu Cyswllt Ffermio ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru.

“Gwelwyd cynnydd sylweddol mewn ceisiadau am gefnogaeth busnes a thechnegol sydd wedi cael eu cyllido yn rhannol ac yn gyflawn, a’r nifer o ffyrdd y gallai Cyswllt Ffermio gefnogi hyn, yn enwedig trwy’r Gwasanaeth Cynghori sy’n darparu hyd at bedair enghraifft o gyngor ar gyfer busnesau cymwys dros gyfnod o bedair blynedd.”

Ar gyfer dyddiadau a lleoliadau pob un o ddigwyddiadau Ffermio ar gyfer y Dyfodol, ewch i www.llyw.cymru/cyswlltffermio. Mae’n ofynnol eich bod yn archebu lle o flaen llaw naill ai drwy’r wefan, neu drwy ffonio Canolfan Wasanaeth Cyswllt Ffermio ar 08456 000 813.

Bydd y drysau yn agor am 7pm ar gyfer cofrestru sy’n ofynnol. Bydd pob digwyddiad yn dechrau am 7.30pm a disgwylir y byddant yn dod i ben tua 9.30pm.