Helping safeguard the future of tenant farmers in Wales – Farming Connect supports the sector with ‘Tenant farmer forums’

Knowing what you, as a tenant farmer, are entitled to as well as your obligations to your landlord, is essential for making sure your livelihood is protected as much as possible.

This will be one of the key messages from Farming Connect, which will be reaching out to tenant farmers throughout Wales early in the New Year, inviting them to book their place at a series of regional ‘Tenant Farmer Forums.  They will be the first events of this type provided specifically or tenant farmers, but if there is sufficient demand, Farming Connect will be keen to provide further support for this sector. 

Arranged from 7pm to 9.30pm, dates and locations for this round of events include the Ivy Bush Hotel Carmarthen on 4 January; Llanddewi Village Hall, Llandrindod Wells on 10 January and Glasdir in Llanrwst on 28 January. 

Eirwen Williams, director of rural programmes with Menter a Busnes, which delivers Farming Connect on behalf of the Welsh Government, explained that the events are being provided to meet the needs of a large number of tenant farmers who are trying to run viable, successful businesses under different and often difficult restraints, without the security of collateral in land assets which can obstruct business growth and diversity.

“Tenant farmers are often faced with hidden clauses in their tenancy agreements which can restrict business development, which is why it’s essential they understand the intricacies of their tenancy agreements and know how they can strengthen their borrowing capacity,” said Mrs. Williams.

The purpose of the Farming Connect ‘Tenant farmer forums’ is to create a platform which brings together tenant farmers to help them understand their agreements, to have realistic expectations and learn how to overcome some of the issues they face.  They will also provide Farming Connect with more insight into the main barriers facing the sector, which will enable them to develop further support services to help farmers manage or overcome these.

The programme for each forum will include a presentation from George Dunn, chief executive of the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) and from Mrs Manon Williams, a specialist rural solicitor with Wales based rural law firm Agri Advisor.  Mrs Elaine Rees Jones, a specialist rural adviser with Menter a Busnes, whose husband is a tenant farmer, will facilitate an interactive session when delegates will be encouraged to voice their concerns and discuss typical issues. The event will close with a Q&A session.

Mr Dunn says that a large proportion of tenant farmers, ranging from those who are farming the smallest county council holdings to others running units of several hundreds of acres are insufficiently informed about their rights when it comes to negotiating arrangements with landlords.

“Many issues are likely to arise during the lifetime of an agricultural tenancy, but most can be solved with good landlord-tenant communication, informed consent and careful consideration by both parties.”

Tenancy agreements; succession planning; repairs and maintenance and consents for new buildings will be some of the issues discussed, as will breaches of tenancy terms which may lead to legal notices to remedy and notices to quit. 

“Some tenant farmers may be considering surrendering their tenancies, while others may be looking for more land.

“It’s essential that all tenant farmers are aware of exactly what is required of them and the long-term implications.

“If they are giving up a tenancy, regardless of any incentives such as a payment or a dwelling house and similarly, if offered more land, they need to understand their rights and responsibilities,” said Mr. Dunn.

All places must be booked in advance by calling Meinir Parry on 01248 660376 or emailing meinir.parry@menterabusnes.co.uk

Farming Connect is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Helpu i ddiogelu dyfodol ffermwyr tenant yng Nghymru – Cyswllt Ffermio yn cefnogi’r sector gyda ‘Fforymau i ffermwyr tenant’

Mae gwybod eich hawliau fel ffermwr tenant, yn ogystal â’ch rhwymedigaethau i’ch landlord, yn hanfodol i sicrhau bod eich bywoliaeth yn cael ei diogelu gymaint â phosibl.

Dyma fydd un o’r prif negeseuon gan Cyswllt Ffermio, fydd yn gwahodd ffermwyr tenant drwy Gymru yn gynnar yn y Flwyddyn Newydd, i neilltuo lle mewn cyfres o Fforymau rhanbarthol i Ffermwyr Tenant. Y rhain fydd y digwyddiadau cyntaf o’r math yma i gael eu darparu’n benodol ar gyfer ffermwyr tenant. Os bydd digon o alw, mae Cyswllt Ffermio’n awyddus i ddarparu cymorth pellach i’r sector hwn. 

Cynhelir y digwyddiadau rhwng 7pm a 9.30pm, ac mae’r dyddiadau a’r lleoliadau ar gyfer y rownd yma yn cynnwys Gwesty’r Ivy Bush yng Nghaerfyrddin ar 4 Ionawr; Neuadd y Pentref Llanddewi yn Llandrindod ar 10 Ionawr a Glasdir yn Llanrwst ar 28 Ionawr. 

Eglurodd Eirwen Williams, cyfarwyddwr rhaglenni gwledig gyda Menter a Busnes, sy’n darparu Cyswllt Ffermio ar ran Llywodraeth Cymru, fod y digwyddiadau yma’n cael eu cynnig er mwyn diwallu anghenion nifer fawr o ffermwyr tenant sy’n ceisio rhedeg busnesau hyfyw, llwyddiannus o dan amodau cyfyngedig gwahanol ac anodd yn aml, heb sicrwydd cyfochrog mewn asedau tir sy’n gallu rhwystro twf ac amrywiaeth busnesau.

 “Yn aml mae ffermwyr tenant yn wynebu cymalau cudd yn eu cytundebau tenantiaeth sy’n gallu cyfyngu ar ddatblygiad eu busnesau. Dyna pam mae’n hanfodol eu bod yn deall holl gymhlethdod eu cytundebau tenantiaeth a gwybod sut y gallan nhw gryfhau eu gallu i fenthyca,” meddai Mrs. Williams.

Pwrpas ‘Fforymau ffermwyr tenant’ Cyswllt Ffermio yw creu llwyfan sy’n dod â ffermwyr tenant at ei gilydd i’w helpu i ddeall eu cytundebau, cael disgwyliadau realistig a dysgu sut i oresgyn rhai o’r problemau y maen nhw’n eu hwynebu. Hefyd byddant yn rhoi gwell darlun i Cyswllt Ffermio o’r prif rwystrau sy’n wynebu’r sector, fydd yn eu galluogi i ddatblygu gwasanaethau cefnogi pellach i helpu ffermwyr i reoli neu oresgyn y rhain.

Bydd y rhaglen ar gyfer pob fforwm yn cynnwys cyflwyniad gan George Dunn, prif weithredwr Cymdeithas Ffermwyr Tenant a gan Mrs Manon Williams, cyfreithwraig sy’n arbenigo mewn materion gwledig gydag Agri Advisor, cwmni yng Nghymru sy’n delio â chyfraith wledig. Bydd  Mrs Elaine Rees Jones, sy’n ymgynghorydd gwledig arbenigol gyda Menter a Busnes, ac sy’n briod â ffermwr tenant, yn hwyluso sesiwn ryngweithiol gan annog y rhai sy’n bresennol i leisio eu pryderon a thrafod problemau nodweddiadol. Bydd y digwyddiad yn gorffen gyda sesiwn Holi ac Ateb.

Dywed Mr Dunn bod cyfran fawr o ffermwyr tenant, sy’n amrywio o rai sy’n ffermio daliadau bach y cyngor i eraill sy’n rhedeg unedau’n cynnwys cannoedd o erwau, heb ddigon o wybodaeth am eu hawliau wrth gyd-drafod trefniadau gyda landlordiaid.

“Mae nifer o faterion yn debygol o godi yn ystod cyfnod o denantiaeth amaethyddol, ond mae’n bosibl datrys y rhan fwyaf drwy gyfathrebu da rhwng y landlord a’r tenant, caniatâd hyddysg ac ystyriaeth ofalus gan y ddau barti.”

Cytundebau tenantiaeth; cynllunio olyniaeth; trwsio a chynnal a chaniatâd ar gyfer adeiladau newydd fydd rhai o’r materion a drafodir, ynghyd â thorri telerau tenantiaeth a allai arwain at hysbysiadau cyfreithiol i gywiro a rhybudd i ymadael. 

“Efallai bod rhai ffermwyr tenant yn ystyried ildio eu tenantiaethau, tra bod eraill yn chwilio am fwy o dir.

“Mae’n hanfodol bod pob ffermwr tenant yn ymwybodol o beth yn union a ddisgwylir ohonynt a’r goblygiadau tymor hir.

“Os ydyn nhw’n rhoi’r gorau i denantiaeth, boed cymhelliant fel taliad neu dŷ ar gael ac yn yr un modd, os cynigir mwy o dir, mae angen iddynt ddeall eu hawliau a’u cyfrifoldebau,” meddai Mr. Dunn.

Dylid neilltuo lle drwy ffonio Meinir Parry ar 01248 660376 neu e-bostio meinir.parry@menterabusnes.co.uk

Ariennir Cyswllt Ffermio gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Chronfa Amaethyddiaeth Ewrop ar gyfer Datblygu Gwledig.