Business planning seminars ready to roll

Farm Family Key Skills (FFKS) is an initiative being managed by CAFRE and is a key element of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

The business planning theme of Farm Family Key Skills addresses the needs of farmers, farm family members and farm employees to increase their levels of knowledge and awareness in business planning and risk management.

A number of seminars focusing on areas impacting on farm businesses have been organised by CAFRE in partnership with Rural Support to be delivered throughout Northern Ireland over the coming months starting on 28 November at Greenmount Campus, CAFRE. Seminars will be delivered by industry professionals from local Accountancy and Law firms.

Topics covered include an overview and awareness of taxation including the main areas under which there may be liabilities, reliefs and allowances that may apply to farm businesses and recent tax changes that will impact on the farm business including land mobility.

These seminars will also provide farmers with important information on succession planning and business resilience and risk management including financial budgeting, forecasting and the impact of market volatility on farm profitability.

Randalstown dairy farmer Fred Allen commented: “It has been a very difficult year for farmers and many are facing a winter/spring of uncertainty because of the fodder shortage. It is always important to plan ahead in any business, not only in the short term but also longer term and I would encourage farmers, farm family members and farm employees to attend one of these seminars where they will get a chance to hear from industry professionals on issues related to taxation and succession planning.”    

Twenty Seminars will be delivered in local venues across Northern Ireland from November 2017 to March 2018, with dates for November confirmed as Greenmount Campus, Antrim on Tuesday 28, Enniskillen Campus on Wednesday 29 and Loughry Campus, Cookstown on Thursday 30 of November. Doors open at 7.30 pm with seminars beginning at 8.00pm.

December events will be held in the Silver Birch Hotel Omagh on Tuesday 5th, Seagoe Hotel Portadown on Wednesday 6th and Magherabuoy House Hotel Portrush on Thursday 7th of December.

Further event dates will be released in the New Year. The seminars are free to farmers, members of the farm family and employees. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters within farm families would all benefit from attending a seminar.

For further information, contact our delivery agent for this training programme Rural Support on 028 8676 0040 or visit the CAFRE website.

Notes to editors: 

1. Photo caption - The Allen family from the Pipe Road, Randalstown pictured discussing the importance of Business and Succession planning with Gillian Reid of Rural Support and Kenneth Johnston of CAFRE who in partnership are offering a number of Business Planning seminars held throughout Northern Ireland starting in November 2017.
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