Preparing for a future post-Brexit? If not, you should be and Farming Connect can support you every step of the way!

Farming Connect’s focus at this year’s Royal Welsh Show (23 – 26 July) will be to persuade farm and forestry businesses to tap into all the support, guidance and training that’s available in Wales through its unique ‘one stop shop’ multi-faceted programme,that is often the envy of other nations.

 

“There has never been a more important time for business owners to realise that if they take the necessary steps now and set themselves targets to reach peak performance levels by benchmarking with some of the top performing businesses, they will be better informed, be running more efficient businesses and better prepared to face the future,” says Eirwen Williams, director of rural programmes with Menter a Busnes, which delivers Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh Government.

 

“This could safeguard the future of many family businesses, because they’ll be sufficiently sustainable and resilient to meet future challenges, despite the uncertainties of leaving the EU.”

 

You’ll find Farming Connect in the Lantra building (Avenue K) where a team of regional development officers will be available daily to signpost visitors to the package of services, events and special projects that provide support for both business and personal development as the industry gears up for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

 

Any farmers who have been putting off replacing the odd broken downpipe or poor guttering above a dirty yard, will be shocked by a display which demonstrates exactly how much money and time they are wasting, on top of the damage to their land, if they don’t effectively separate ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ water.

 

“This year’s show comes hot on the heels of the Welsh Government’s recently launched consultation on land management post Brexit, which refers to the need for farm businesses to be economically resilient and to manage their land efficiently.

 

“The control, collection and disposal of both clean and dirty water is one the basic measures which all farmers must address in order to save themselves time and money, reduce the damage to soil and swards and protect the wider environment,” said Mrs. Williams.

 

Farming Connect will showcase other profit-raising, efficiency-boosting ideas, all designed to help businesses improve their land management strategies in this year’s ‘technology corner’ where visitors will be encouraged to consider ways in which some of the newest and most useful ‘tools of the trade’, could save them valuable time and resources.

 

If you call into the Lantra building between 2pm and 3pm, you can speak to some of the mentors who are part of Farming Connect’s recently expanded mentoring programme.  In attendance daily and selected for their knowledge and experience across a wide range of sectors, the red meat, dairy, and arable team also now includes a number of ‘niche’ specialists. Each mentor can offer up to 22.5 hours of fully funded on-farm impartial guidance on topics ranging from beekeeping and goat meat production to tourism diversification and forestry schemes.  An online mentor directory which has a filter system will help you identify the mentor with the skills you need.

 

The mentoring programme also includes recently appointed specialist mentors on farm health and safety and succession planning. Visitors will be encouraged to pick up free booklets on both topics.

 

“Written in a straightforward, easily understood way, both these booklets should be left on every kitchen table and discussed by every family.

 

“Five minutes spent reading our new “Tip tips on farm safety’ booklet could mean the difference between life and death or loss of a livelihood if it makes a farmer stop and think about everyday risks that can often be avoided,” said Mrs. Williams.

 

Similarly, Farming Connect’s recently published booklet and task toolkit on succession planning, which encourages families to ‘Start the conversation, it’s good to talk” could save heartbreak and family rifts for those businesses which don’t yet have a robust succession plan in place.

 

Farming Connect Business Lounge – Meirionnydd Sheep Building

Finally, in a new initiative arranged for the Royal Welsh Show, make sure you also visit Farming Connect on the first-floor balcony of the Meirionnydd Sheep Building, in the Farming Connect Business Lounge. This new initiative is in response to farmers considering seeking strategic business and/or technical guidance as they prepare for Brexit. Available through the Farming Connect Advisory Service, which is funded up to 80% for eligible individuals and fully funded for group applications, the scheme has transformed business efficiency and profitability for more than 2000 businesses since it was launched in 2015. To book a free appointment with one of the approved consultants who delivers the service or to attend one of the daily business seminars, visit www.gov.wales/farmingconnect or call the Service Centre (08456 000 813)

 

Topics will include:

Dairy Business Performance for 2017, 2018, and 2019

EIP Wales – Funding opportunities of up to £40 000 towards innovation

How to diversify – adding value to your farm

Farm infrastructure and investments

What do the Brexit options mean for the dairy sector?

Establishing new grass leys – including weed and pest control

Wrthi’n paratoi at ddyfodol wedi Brexit?Os nad ydych chi, fe ddylech chi a gall Cyswllt Ffermio eich cynorthwyo chi yn ystod pob cam o’r daith!

Yn ystod Sioe Frenhinol Cymru eleni (23 – 26 Gorffennaf), bydd Cyswllt Ffermio yn canolbwyntio ar berswadio busnesau ffermio a choedwigaeth i wneud defnydd o’r holl gymorth, yr arweiniad a’r hyfforddiant sydd ar gael yng Nghymru trwy ei raglen ‘stop un siop’ amlochrog sy’n aml yn destun cenfigen i wledydd eraill.

 

“Ni fu hi erioed yn bwysicach i berchnogion busnesau sylweddoli y gallant wella eu gwybodaeth, rhedeg busnesau mwy effeithlon a bod yn fwy parod i wynebu’r dyfodol os gwnânt weithredu’r camau gofynnol nawr, a phennu nifer o dargedau iddynt hwy eu hunain i gyflawni’r perfformiad gorau posibl trwy feincnodi â rhai o’r busnesau sy’n perfformio orau,” meddai Eirwen Williams, cyfarwyddwr rhaglenni gwledig Menter a Busnes, sy’n rhedeg Cyswllt Ffermio ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru.

 

“Gallai hyn ddiogelu dyfodol llawer o fusnesau teuluol, oherwydd byddant yn ddigon cynaliadwy a chydnerth i wynebu’r dyfodol, ar waethaf yr ansicrwydd sy’n deillio o adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd.”

 

Fe wnewch chi ganfod Cyswllt Ffermio yn adeilad Lantra (Rhodfa K) ble bydd tîm o swyddogion datblygu rhanbarthol ar gael yn ddyddiol i gyfeirio ymwelwyr at y pecyn i wasanaethau, digwyddiadau a phrosiectau arbennig sy’n cynnig cymorth ynghylch busnes a datblygiad personol wrth i’r diwydiant baratoi at yr heriau a’r cyfleoedd sydd ar y gorwel.

 

Bydd unrhyw ffermwr sydd wedi oedi cyn newid ambell beipen ddŵr wedi torri neu landerydd gwael uwchben buarth brwnt yn cael eu synnu gan arddangosfa sy’n dangos cymaint o arian ac amser y maent yn ei wastraffu, heb sôn am y niwed i’w tir, os nad ydynt yn gwahanu dŵr ‘glân’ a dŵr ‘brwnt’ yn effeithiol.

 

“Mae sioe eleni yn digwydd yn fuan wedi lansiad diweddar ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Cymru ynghylch rheoli tir wedi Brexit, sy’n cyfeirio at yr angen i fusnesau ffermydd fod yn gydnerth yn economaidd ac i reoli eu tir yn effeithiol.

 

“Mae rheoli, casglu a gwaredu dŵr glân a brwnt yn un o’r mesurau sylfaenol y mae’n rhaid i bob ffermwr ei ddatrys er mwyn arbed amser ac arian iddynt hwy eu hunain, lleihau niwed i bridd a phorfeydd a diogelu’r amgylchedd ehangach,” meddai Mrs. Williams.

 

Bydd Cyswllt Ffermio yn rhoi sylw i syniadau eraill i wella elw ac effeithlonrwydd, sydd oll wedi’u cynllunio i helpu busnesau i wella strategaethau rheoli tir, yn y ‘gornel dechnoleg’ eleni. Yno, caiff ymwelwyr eu hannog i ystyried sut i ddefnyddio rhai o’r dulliau mwyaf defnyddiol sydd ar gael i’r diwydiant i’w helpu i arbed amser ac adnoddau gwerthfawr.

 

Os dewch chi draw i adeilad Lantra rhwng 2yp a 3yp, gallwch gael cyfle i sgwrsio â rhai o fentoriaid rhaglen mentora Cyswllt Ffermio, sydd wedi cael ei ehangu’n ddiweddar.Bydd y mentoriaid yn bresennol yn ddyddiol, ac maent wedi cael eu dewis oherwydd eu gwybodaeth am amrywiaeth eang o sectorau a’u profiad ohonynt. Mae’r tîm cig coch, llaeth ac amaethu âr bellach yn cynnwys nifer o fentoriaid sy’n arbenigo mewn meysydd arbenigol iawn. Gall bob mentor gynnig hyd at 22.5 awr o arweiniad diduedd wedi’i ariannu’n llawn ynghylch pynciau sy’n amrywio o gadw gwenyn a chynhyrchu cig geifr i arallgyfeirio i faes twristiaeth a chynlluniau coedwigaeth. Mae cyfarwyddiadur o fentoriaid ar gael ar-lein, ac mae’n cynnwys cyfleuster hidlo a wnaiff eich helpu i nodi’r mentor sydd â’r sgiliau y mae arnoch eu hangen.

 

Mae’r rhaglen fentora hefyd yn cynnwys mentoriaid arbenigol a benodwyd yn ddiweddar i gynnig arweiniad ynghylch iechyd a diogelwch ar ffermydd a chynllunio olyniaeth. Caiff ymwelwyr eu hannog i gymryd llyfrynnau am ddim ynghylch y ddau bwnc.

 

“Mae’r llyfrynnau hyn wedi cael eu hysgrifennu’n syml ac maent yn hawdd eu deall, a dylai’r ddau gael eu gadael ar fwrdd pob cegin fel gall bob teulu eu trafod.

 

“Gallai treulio pum munud yn darllen ein llyfryn newydd sy’n cynnig cyngor ynghylch diogelwch ar ffermydd wneud gwahaniaeth rhwng byw a marw neu golli bywoliaeth, os gwnaiff lwyddo i wneud i ffermwr bwyllo a meddwl am y risgiau cyffredin y gellir eu hosgoi,” meddai Mrs Williams.

 

Yn yr un modd, gallai’r llyfryn a’r pecyn tasgau ynghylch cynllunio olyniaeth a gyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar gan Cyswllt Ffermio arbed gofid calon a chwerylon teuluol i’r busnesau hynny sydd heb sefydlu cynllun olyniaeth cadarn hyd yn hyn. Mae’r llyfryn hwn yn annog teuluoedd i “gychwyn y drafodaeth; mae siarad yn dda”,

 

Lolfa Busnes Cyswllt Ffermio – Adeilad Defaid Meirionnydd

Yn olaf, fel rhan o fenter newydd a drefnwyd ar gyfer Sioe Frenhinol Cymru, cofiwch ymweld â Chyswllt Ffermio ar falconi llawr cyntaf Adeilad Defaid Meirionnydd, yn Lolfa Busnes Cyswllt Ffermio. Mae’r fenter newydd hon yn ymateb i ffermwyr sy’n ystyried ceisio arweiniad strategol ynghylch eu busnes ac/neu arweiniad technegol wrth iddynt baratoi at Brexit. Cynigir y cynllun trwy Wasanaeth Ymgynghorol Cyswllt Ffermio, sy’n ariannu hyd at 80% o’r costau ar gyfer unigolion cymwys a’r costau llawn yn achos ceisiadau gan grwpiau. Mae’r cynllun wedi gweddnewid effeithiolrwydd busnes a phroffidioldeb dros 2000 o fusnesau ers iddo gael ei lansio yn 2015. Os hoffech chi drefnu apwyntiad am ddim i weld un o’r ymgynghorwyr cymeradwy sy’n darparu’r gwasanaeth neu ddod i un o’r seminarau busnes dyddiol, trowch at  www.gov.wales/farmingconnect neu ffoniwch y Ganolfan Wasanaethau ar 08456 000 813

 

Bydd y pynciau yn cynnwys:

Perfformiad Busnesau Llaeth yn 2017, 2018 a 2019

EIP Cymru – Cyfleoedd i gael hyd at £40,000 tuag at gostau arloesedd

Sut i arallgyfeirio – ychwanegu gwerth at eich fferm

Seilwaith ffermydd a buddsoddiadau

Beth yw ystyr dewisiadau Brexit i’r sector llaeth?

Sefydlu gwyndonnydd glaswellt newydd – yn cynnwys rheoli chwyn a phlâu