Level II Agricultural Business Operations

 Course content  Course rules  Assessment  Timetable  Prior qualifications  Young Farmers Scheme

UnitNights Livestock production7 Animal Health3 Business Management4 IT on Farm2 Health & Safety2

 CAFRE website ◦ ◦ Powerpoint slides ◦ Notes ◦ Links to further information ◦ Assessments

 If you do not have internet access ◦ Internet access is available at all local Libraries ◦ Access can be arranged at CAFRE libraries  Let your tutor know and we set up  Student account  Print account (prepayment required)  CAFRE Libraries are open until 10pm Mon – Thurs during term-time

 Attendance –Students should attend a minimum of 80% of lessons  Punctuality  Mutual Respect  Contribute to discussion  Completion of assessments –within one week of last lesson/assessment  All assessments are supervised - must be your own work.  Mobile phones = ‘silent’ during lessons.

 Provide a meaningful programme of study  Lessons will start punctually.  Will inform you of any planned changes  Will review your assessments regularly and discuss.  Work submitted - assessed & feedback -two weeks.  Available to discuss any concerns  Reasonable adjustments will be made.  Consideration extenuating circumstances.  An appeals process is available

 Carried out under supervision as part of the class – ◦ usually at end of night and ◦ 1 week after delivery  Assessment booklet for each unit  Assessed by your tutor  Tutor assessment checked by CAFRE and then OCN verifiers.

 Available to see on website but must be completed in class.  Extra time will be allowed for completion and help available where necessary.  Can be resubmitted twice.

A.1. Name 3 animal husbandry procedures that will be carried out on calves in a suckler herd between birth and weaning at 7 months old (e.g. ensure navel is disinfected)

 Main units ◦ Livestock / Crop Production ◦ Business Management ◦ Health & Safety ◦ Animal / Plant HealthSlotted into programme IT on Farmdue to availability of IT rooms/vet

 You should inform/have informed registration staff of any relevant qualifications.  CAFRE will confirm relevance of qualification and inform you of any parts of the qualification you are exempt from.

 You cannot move classes without prior approval. ◦ Class attendance lists are pre-printed ◦ Classes have different timetable (An Health & IT) ◦ Limits on class sizes.  Technology Admin with request  Please attend invited night until notified

 As the majority of students are considering the Young Farmers Scheme – DARD Policy Branch have asked CAFRE to make you aware of the information on the following slides:  Your tutor has no additional information on the Scheme and has been instructed not to discuss it beyond the information on the following slides.

The Regional Reserve will be used to allocate entitlements to the following groups:  new entrants;  young farmers and  those that were prevented from being allocated entitlements as a result of force majeure or exceptional circumstances.  To be eligible for an award from the Regional Reserve as a young farmer or a new entrant, at least a Level II qualification in agriculture (or a related subject containing at least a farm business management module) will be required.

The Young Farmers’ Scheme provides a top-up payment to the Basic Payment for those qualify who as a young farmer. The CAP regulations define young farmers as those who:  Are setting up for the first time an agricultural holding as head of the holding, or who have set up such a holding during the five years preceding the first submission of an application under the Basic Payment Scheme; and  Are no more than 40 years of age in the year of first submission of their application. i.e. A farmer who turns 41 at any time during 2015 will not be eligible.

 The CAP regulations also require that the young farmer is head of holding, exercising effective and long-term control over the business in terms of decisions related to management, benefits and financial risks.  Young farmers must have established and activated payment entitlements under the Basic Payment Scheme.  Young farmer applicants must also have at least a Level II qualification in agriculture (or a related subject containing at least a farm business management module). CAFRE have in place an education package over the period September 2014 – March 2015 to allow those who don’t have the qualification to acquire it.

 For single member businesses, the position is clear in relation to the head of holding in that the only member of the business will be the head of holding.  In relation to multi-member businesses, in the case of young farmer(s) who have joint control of a business, an equal share of the profits would not be acceptable proof of head of holding.

 For example, in a 50:50 scenario, unless the young farmer in the business could provide evidence that he/she had long term control over the other(s) in the business in terms of decisions related to the management, benefits and financial risks pertaining to the business – i.e. they must be in a controlling position and take the decisions.  This would have to be confirmed by way of supporting verifiable evidence provided by the Young Farmer showing/confirming “managing director status” over the business. 

 In relation to the educational qualification requirement in a multi-member business consisting of more than one young farmer, only the young farmer(s) controlling the business need to have the educational qualification.  If two young farmers were involved in a 50:50 partnership, but neither on their own controlled the business, then both would require the qualification.

 The top-up payment will be for a maximum period of 5 years but that period will be reduced by the number of years elapsed between the setting up as head of holding and the first year of application.  The top-up payment will be based on 25% of the total direct payments regional average per hectare. The payment will be made on the number of eligible hectares used to activate entitlements, up to a maximum of 90 hectares. 

 Contacts  Further information on CAP reform is available on the DARD website on   If you have a specific query you can call the DARD Grants and Funding Helpline number:  

 In the event that we have to cancel/move a class. ( E.g. Severe weather)  We will ◦ Text and those we have details for ◦ Put the info on the level II website ◦ In the event of severe weather please don’t call admin until you have checked the website, your texts/ .

 Administration   Tutor ___________________________  Name ____________________________ 