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Title: Navigating the shift from production to sustainable practices
As always, farmers are looking to their trusted agricultural advisors, be it Teagasc or the rapidly growing ACA network, to serve their needs. However, these agri services are reaching their limit.
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Navigating the shift from production to sustainable practices
As always, farmers are looking to their trusted agricultural advisors, be it Teagasc or the rapidly growing ACA network, to serve their needs. However, these agri services are reaching their limit.
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The definite shift from production-orientated agriculture as promoted under the Food Harvest 2020 plan towards social and environmental farming practices under the new Farm to Fork strategy is underpinned by the expansion of agri schemes and funding being made available to farmers.
Under the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), there are a wide range of funding and income opportunities available to land/property owners, along with the active farmer within various government departments, agri-food organisations and local community initiatives.
While funding opportunities must be acknowledged, recent protests in France and across Europe show a marked push back from farmers against increased bureaucracy and regulation.
Farmers’ aversion to paperwork once could be dismissed as their disposition to hated office work, but recent ratcheting up of schemes, initiatives, forms and deadlines for modest (if any) remuneration is marked.
In 2023, there were no less than 29 schemes with multiple and different deadline dates, terms, conditions and software systems with the Department of Agriculture alone.
This disregards local EIP projects, Dept of Housing and Rural Development initiatives, Department of Forestry or any third-party interest seeking collaborations from embattled farmers.
Farmers rely upon their trusted adviser whose resources are being stretched to their limit with each new scheme announcement and oftentimes impending deadlines.
Under this maelstrom of initiatives, schemes and projects, the agri adviser has little opportunity to provide any agricultural, business or even social advice, which is becoming a central remit in the context of mental health, rural isolation and succession. At present, agricultural advisers are spending an overwhelming amount of time administering these schemes, correcting administrative errors and coping with disparate and patchy software systems.
Most of these regulations are not required and are inherently disproportionate to the value of the said scheme to the average small farmer.
The breadth and variety of these schemes with no centralised resources or systems within the DAFM or government are also placing department officials and staff under enormous pressure.
They play a critical role in supporting farmers and advisers with the roll-out of these schemes and reaching Ireland’s ambitious green deal objectives.
An overhaul of the current provision of schemes is essential for the benefit of all stakeholders founded in the sincere desire to achieve co-ordinated and shared objectives.
We are making this representation on behalf of ourselves and our clients, but we do not stop there. From a holistic perspective, we are committed to accurately representing all farmers, agri-related businesses and service providers like ourselves in rural Ireland with complete candour and transparency.
Furthermore, the interplay between farmers’ status with schemes, the DAFM and their business structures for inheritance, taxation, operations and banking have made agri advisory a minefield.
Seminal high court rulings, exclusion from derogations, rejection from financial institutions and other support schemes based on business structures underscore the necessity for a fully integrated approach to agri advisory.
No longer can an adviser mind their ‘own corner’. They are expected to know the knock-on implications for clients should they take a position with one governmental department versus another.
Professional service specialisation has become impossible without an extremely robust and organised network of professionals.
FDC’s co-ordinated efforts to have the full remit of advisory and compliance throughout our network, taking responsibility for all aspects of a farmer’s professional requirement.
Our team is equipped with a full arsenal of expertise needed to support farmers in this intensifying arena. Our multidisciplinary approach allows us all to have a robust group for all advisory and business needs. At every juncture, we place the clients’ current and future needs at the front and centre of all our advisory.
FDC specialises in the services of accounting, tax and legal, financial services, agri consultancy, management accounting, advisory, banking, audit, training and client business IT solutions.
We offer a dynamic and supportive work environment with hands-on learning and mentorship through scholarships, placements, graduate programmes and qualified positions.
We foster a culture of continuous learning and growth, offering our employees regular opportunities for upskilling. Whether it’s a recent graduate or an experienced professional, FDC has opportunities for people of all backgrounds.
The definite shift from production-orientated agriculture as promoted under the Food Harvest 2020 plan towards social and environmental farming practices under the new Farm to Fork strategy is underpinned by the expansion of agri schemes and funding being made available to farmers.
Under the new CAP Strategic Plan (CSP), there are a wide range of funding and income opportunities available to land/property owners, along with the active farmer within various government departments, agri-food organisations and local community initiatives.
While funding opportunities must be acknowledged, recent protests in France and across Europe show a marked push back from farmers against increased bureaucracy and regulation.
Farmers’ aversion to paperwork once could be dismissed as their disposition to hated office work, but recent ratcheting up of schemes, initiatives, forms and deadlines for modest (if any) remuneration is marked.
In 2023, there were no less than 29 schemes with multiple and different deadline dates, terms, conditions and software systems with the Department of Agriculture alone.
This disregards local EIP projects, Dept of Housing and Rural Development initiatives, Department of Forestry or any third-party interest seeking collaborations from embattled farmers.
Farmers rely upon their trusted adviser whose resources are being stretched to their limit with each new scheme announcement and oftentimes impending deadlines.
Under this maelstrom of initiatives, schemes and projects, the agri adviser has little opportunity to provide any agricultural, business or even social advice, which is becoming a central remit in the context of mental health, rural isolation and succession. At present, agricultural advisers are spending an overwhelming amount of time administering these schemes, correcting administrative errors and coping with disparate and patchy software systems.
Most of these regulations are not required and are inherently disproportionate to the value of the said scheme to the average small farmer.
The breadth and variety of these schemes with no centralised resources or systems within the DAFM or government are also placing department officials and staff under enormous pressure.
They play a critical role in supporting farmers and advisers with the roll-out of these schemes and reaching Ireland’s ambitious green deal objectives.
An overhaul of the current provision of schemes is essential for the benefit of all stakeholders founded in the sincere desire to achieve co-ordinated and shared objectives.
We are making this representation on behalf of ourselves and our clients, but we do not stop there. From a holistic perspective, we are committed to accurately representing all farmers, agri-related businesses and service providers like ourselves in rural Ireland with complete candour and transparency.
Furthermore, the interplay between farmers’ status with schemes, the DAFM and their business structures for inheritance, taxation, operations and banking have made agri advisory a minefield.
Seminal high court rulings, exclusion from derogations, rejection from financial institutions and other support schemes based on business structures underscore the necessity for a fully integrated approach to agri advisory.
No longer can an adviser mind their ‘own corner’. They are expected to know the knock-on implications for clients should they take a position with one governmental department versus another.
Professional service specialisation has become impossible without an extremely robust and organised network of professionals.
FDC’s co-ordinated efforts to have the full remit of advisory and compliance throughout our network, taking responsibility for all aspects of a farmer’s professional requirement.
Our team is equipped with a full arsenal of expertise needed to support farmers in this intensifying arena. Our multidisciplinary approach allows us all to have a robust group for all advisory and business needs. At every juncture, we place the clients’ current and future needs at the front and centre of all our advisory.
FDC specialises in the services of accounting, tax and legal, financial services, agri consultancy, management accounting, advisory, banking, audit, training and client business IT solutions.
We offer a dynamic and supportive work environment with hands-on learning and mentorship through scholarships, placements, graduate programmes and qualified positions.
We foster a culture of continuous learning and growth, offering our employees regular opportunities for upskilling. Whether it’s a recent graduate or an experienced professional, FDC has opportunities for people of all backgrounds.
From weather woes to (more) ACRES issues, straw scheme scandals, election fever and co-op changes, Anne O’Donoghue brings you 2024’s top news headlines.
Cow numbers are being cut by stealth, farmers say. And they are right. But this was entirely predictable, and their opposition to a cow reduction scheme has taken it off the table.
New report highlights the need for an 18,000ha afforestation programme to deliver forestry and climate goals by mid-century.
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