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16 May 2012

Dragons help Welsh businesses thrive

Three Welsh businesses that successfully secured investment from a ‘Gorsedd of Dragons’ in a business competition last year are expanding and creating new employment opportunities. Businesses and entrepreneurs from throughout Wales battled it out at last year’s National Eisteddfod to secure £5,000 investment from a panel of business ‘dragons’ in the Gorsedd y Dreigiau competition. Organised by business development company Menter a Busnes with the Welsh Government and supported by television production company Telesgop and the Welsh Language Board, the competition has attracted over 75 entries from businesses throughout Wales since it was launched three years ago.

16 May 2012

North Wales construction industry grows with support

A new Supplier Champion has been appointed to help construction companies in North and Mid Wales win new business and prepare for growth. The ‘Supplier Development Service Construction’ (SDS Construction) programme, managed by business development company Menter a Busnes on behalf of the Welsh Government in North and Mid Wales, is helping businesses tender for work that could be worth millions of pounds if successful. Carys Griffiths is now spearheading the project throughout North Wales, Powys and Ceredigion to help more construction firms to grow and prosper. “It’s an exciting time to be joining SDS Construction. The construction industry employs thousands of people throughout the region and it’s an important source of economic activity,” said Carys who is based near Porthmadog and whose husband’s family has been involved in the construction industry for over 75 years.

Farming Connect | 11 May 2012

Mileage in silage

Winter performance and costs for housed livestock are driven by the quality of silage fed. Grass Quality for Ensiling There are many things we can control to improve silage quality: soil nutrients, ley quality, shutting and cutting dates, animal manures, harvesting and ensiling methods, storage and feed out. Grass quality at cutting is key to producing high quality, well fermented and stable silage. This second Mileage in Silage bulletin gives results from a lowland dairy farm, and an organic Beef and sheep farm growing a red clover  Italian ryegrass ley in its second year.  As the season progresses samples from higher altitudes and later cutting date farms will be included. Grassland Development  Centre  ‘GRASS FOR SILAGE TEST’  (APRIL 23rd 2012 ) Crop

Farming Connect | 27 April 2012

Mileage in silage

Winter performance and costs for housed livestock are driven by the quality of silage fed. Grass quality for ensiling There are many things we can control to improve silage quality: soil nutrients, ley quality, shutting and cutting dates, animal manures, harvesting and ensiling methods, storage and feed out. Grass quality at cutting is key to producing high quality, well fermented and stable silage. This first Mileage in Silage bulletin gives results from a lowland dairy farm, as the season progresses samples from beef and sheep farms and from higher altitudes will be included. GDC ‘Grass for Silage Test’ Results (16th April 2012) Crop Young Ley (>5years) Targets

Farming Connect | 11 April 2012

Succession surgeries will help farmers plan for the future

Succession planning for farmers can be difficult and stressful, but it is an important issue which should be addressed. It needs to be planned early so that everyone knows what to expect should you retire or be forced off the farm due to injury, ill health or other circumstances. Unlike many other businesses, the farm is usually passed onto another member of the family which can lead to problems if you have more than one child and do not have an appropriate succession plan in place. Farm succession can create tension among siblings. The child who inherits the farm may be the only one who has any economic advantage from the family inheritance. There are, however, creative ways to share the farm among your children, which may not involve carving up the property into non-viable plots of land.

Farming Connect | 30 March 2012

New Agri-Academy aims to inspire next generation of rural entrepreneurs

Farming Connect has begun its search for 12 forward thinking farmers from across Wales to join a new fully subsidised Agri-Academy - an innovative and pioneering rural enterprise programme which aims to support and inspire the next generation of farming entrepreneurs and rural leaders.  Eirwen Williams, Director of Rural Programmes at Menter a Busnes, which delivers support services for farmers on behalf of Farming Connect, says that the aims of the Academy – which will be run in both 2012 and 2013 - are to provide information and knowledge for farmers which will help them address the challenges of the agriculture industry in the years ahead by encouraging them to reach their potential and plan the future progress of their businesses. “The Agri Academy will support personal development through a series of intense workshops seminars and visits.

TAG | 14 March 2012

TAG Project Evaluation Report - SAC

Below is the annual evaluation report for the TAG project compiled by Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) If you would like to discuss the report please contact Sion Ifans  sion.ifans@menterabusnes.co.uk

Farming Connect | 13 March 2012

VAT returns must soon be made online only

Anyone who is VAT-registered (which includes many farmers) must submit their VAT returns online from this spring.   Currently, only newly-registered businesses and those with turnovers of more than £100,000 have to submit their VAT online, as well as pay electronically. Anyone else can send HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) a paper VAT return, if they wish.   That is changing from April, when all 1.9 million VAT-registered businesses in the UK will have to submit their VAT returns online, and pay electronically, for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2012.   Every VAT-registered trader not already required to submit online will receive a letter from HMRC in February, advising them of the change, and what steps they need to take.   At the end of last year, almost 17,000 businesses in Wales were still filing paper VAT returns.

Cywain | 06 March 2012

Adding Value To Ceredigion Red Meat

An award-winning butcher is urging sheep producers to castrate lambs to improve the flavour of meat. Rob Rattray, who produces his own lambs for his butchery business in Aberystwyth, insists a castrated lamb produces a superior flavour and that is important for boosting lamb sales. “The meat is much sweeter. If we want consumers to be loyal to lamb we need to make sure we give them the best taste experience. I think all lambs should be castrated,’’ said Mr Rattray, who runs a flock of 400 pure Beltex sheep. Mr Rattray was speaking at an event in Aberystwyth to promote red meats produced in Ceredigion. The event was facilitated by Cywain, a scheme that helps primary producers in Wales add value to primary produce. An audience including several farmers were given an insight into how they could maximise their return on animals and get the best out of the carcass.

Ffatri Fenter | 28 February 2012

New shop open in Holyhead!

Another new shop has opened its doors in the town centre, proving that the “empty shop initiative” is going from strength to strength. With the support of Plas Cybi Partnership and Anglesey Council, Ffatri Fenter client, James Morgan has opened ‘Rozzy Rock Shop’. Over the past year James worked hard to organise gigs in local pubs and playing in his own band. He saw a gap in the market and approached the Taste of Enterprise – Ffatri Fenter to receive business support to turn the idea into reality. The current economic climate is making lives hard but with the co-operation of other local organisations, Taste of Enterprise is assisting clients to buck the downward trend by providing them with desirable retail opportunities and in turn help regenerate Holyhead town centre.