Your partner in farm success: Maximising your farm’s potential with FDC agri consultants
By partnering with experts across FDC Group, FDC Agri Consultants deliver a quality service and total business solution for clients.
Since its establishment in 1973, Agri Consultancy has been integral to FDC Group as one of its 10 key service offerings.
In recent years, FDC has expanded its Agri team to meet the changing needs of farmers due to the increase in schemes available, as well as grants claimable through TAMS funding. FDC Agri Consultants are knowledgeable in the preparation of applications for all schemes and grants. We advise our clients on how to maximise these applications, and how to structure their business to maintain maximum flexibility for their farm within these schemes.
More commonly known as the single farm payment, FDC Agri Consultants are DAFM Farm Advisory Service approved agents for the online completion and submission of the annual BISS applications. We manage the completion and submission of entitlement transactions for leases, sales and gifts. Additionally, we manage applications for Areas of Natural Constraint (formerly Disadvantaged Area), CISYF (formerly young farmers scheme) and National Reserve scheme.
We provide a comprehensive service to clients, whereby the annual records and Derogation application are prepared and submitted, as well the periodical Nutrient Management Plan and soil sampling. We help our clients stay focused, current and compliant with the ever-changing regulations of the Nitrates Derogation. We maintain regular contact with our clients throughout the year to ensure stock, fertiliser and lime stats stay within limits. In FDC Group, we assert the absolute vitality of Nitrates Derogation in Ireland. We take great pride and responsibility in helping our clients understand and comply.
When applications opened, FDC assisted in ACRES and created Farm Sustainability Plans for our clients. We now provide the ACRES scoring assessments for clients, as well as NPI (Nonproductive investment) and Landscape Actions applications.
Under the TAMS Ill scheme, FDC Agri Consultants maximise the funding available to clients before the start of any major investment. FDC Agri Consultants then determine whether the investment you are enquiring about is available at 40% or 60% grant aid. The TAMS Ill covers, but is not exclusive to, animal housing, slurry storage, dairy equipment, animal handing facilities, solar panels, fencing, underpasses, as well as grant aids for pigs, poultry and equine facilities. The introduction of a separate funding stream offering 60% grant aid for slurry storage facilities to all farmers this January was a welcome boost for the industry.
FDC have facilitated numerous partnerships with varying partners such as existing farmers, young, trained farmers and limited companies. These arrangements can be established not only to involve the next generation in the farm business and improve work-life balance, but also to strengthen long-term succession planning, encourage knowledge transfer, and position the farm to benefit from higher TAMS grant aid rates; ultimately supporting the farm’s sustainability, growth and resilience. In the case of multi-herd partnerships, collaboration simplify how a farm operates. We build adaptable partnerships that allow retirement or incorporation without harming the original agreement.
We apply for all sheep and beef schemes that may be relevant to our clients.
As a part of FDC group, FDC Agri Consultants collaborate with FDC Accountants Ltd and FDC Tax Department Ltd to create farm structures, maximise scheme opportunities and offer comprehensive succession services. By partnering with experts across FDC Group, FDC Agri Consultants deliver a quality service and total business solution for our clients, completely unique to each client’s farm, future and legacy.
For more information on our services, please visit www.fdc.ie.
