FBAS Farmer Brochure

FA R M B U S I N E S S ADVICE SERVICE GSC Grays are offering FREE business advice to farmers across the North of England to help them find the most profitable and sustainable solution for their business.

CONTENTS FBA S SERVICE SUMMARY

1

T H E H A L F D AY B U S I N E S S R E V I E W (FINANCIAL FOCUS)

2- 3

T H E H A L F D AY B U S I N E S S R E V I E W (SFI RE VIEW )

4 -5

C O N S U LTA N C Y S E R V I C E S BUDGETING & FINANCIAL PL ANNING

6 -7

BUSINESS RESTRUC TURING

8-9

E N V I R O N M E N TA L S T E WA R D S H I P

1 0 -11

G R A S S L A N D R E G E N E R AT I V E FA R M I N G

1 2-1 3

A R A B L E R E G E N E R AT I V E FA R M I N G

14 -1 5

SUCCESSION PL ANNING

1 6 -1 7

D I V E R S I F I C AT I O N

1 8 -19

O N - FA R M R E N E WA B L E S

2 0 -2 1

C O N T R A C T & S H A R E FA R M I N G

2 2-2 3

PL ANNING & DE VELOPMENT

2 4 -2 5

BIODIVERSIT Y NET GAIN

2 6 -2 7

C ARBON AUDITING

2 8 -2 9

C O N TA C T U S

3 0 -31

O U R F B A S C O N S U LTA N T S

2

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FBA S SERVICE SUMMARY GSC Grays are providing FREE and independent farm business advice to farmers in the North of England. The Farm Business Advice Service (FBAS) is funded by DEFRA’s Future Farming Resilience Fund, created to support farmers and land managers during the early years of the Agricultural Transition.

The free on-farm business review is the cornerstone of our Farm Business Advice Service, where our Farm Business Consultants review your business with you and discuss your goals for the next five to ten years. The report that follows includes an action plan and sets out any barriers to achieving a profitable and sustainable business.

As part of the review, businesses will have the choice to either focus on their financial performance, or on the opportunities that the SFI and other environmental schemes can provide.

The review also identifies any follow on consultancy support that is needed. This specialist support is also funded, and delivered via a mixture of one-to-one or group services in one of twelve business areas that are outlined in more detail in the rest of this brochure.

Over the course of the project, in addition to the one-to-one advice, participants will have access to a series of on-farm workshops, events and webinars providing solutions and insight into the common issues identified in the initial reviews.

Farmers wishing to work collaboratively and share ideas have the opportunity to join one of our business groups that will meet regularly over the space of a year.

Finally, all businesses will also have access to an online resource centre covering common topics and shared learning opportunities.

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“ We d e si g n e d this besp oke scheme wi t h our c l i e nt s in mind, to p rovide a s e r v i ce t ai l o re d to individual farmer’s n e e d s a nd to d evelop businesses which a re profi tab l e and sustainable without s u ppo r t.”

GUY COGGRAVE MANAGING DIRECTOR

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THE HALF DAY BUSINE SS RE VIE W (FINANCIAL FOCUS) In order to fully understand your business, one of our consultants will come and visit you in person, on farm. The focus of the on-farm business review is to understand the goals of the business, to ensure recommendations are tailored towards the individual business needs and those of everyone involved.

We encourage everyone with an interest in the future of the farm to be present at the meeting. This is a key opportunity to have a round table discussion on the aims and objectives of your business.

Acknowledging strengths and weaknesses and interrogating financial information will help to make informed decisions moving forward.

The review of financial information includes a high-level accounts analysis to understand the financial position of your business and how this will link into creating recommendations that are achievable.

Submitting the accounts for analysis in advance of the review meeting will enable our consultants to add real value to these discussions.

You will be issued with a concise action plan following the meeting, with a summary of the discussion and outcomes, and targeted recommendations for next steps for you to move your business forward.

The recommendations in this report will determine whether any funded follow-on work will be offered.

The report will contain the following information: FA R M S U M M A R Y A brief overview of the farm, enterprises, and people within the business.

FA R M O B J E C T I V E S A summary of the main objectives outlined by the attendees. These will include personal and business objectives.

B P S R E D U C T I O N C A L C U L AT O R A visual representation of the likely payments that the business can expect to receive, and use for budgeting purposes.

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW A high-level overview of the farm accounts, highlighting any areas of strength/concern.

S W O T A N A LY S I S A summary of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats discussed during the review.

ACTION PLAN The consultant will provide recommendations and key actions from the information shared during the review. These will be specific to the farm and aim to incorporate the business objectives.

For some businesses, the on-farm business review may be all that is required; an additional pair of eyes to review existing plans or provide some suggestions to consider. Others, whose farms are especially vulnerable to the loss of BPS, or those looking to make substantial changes, will be recommended for further consultancy services to support the viability and profitability of the business. Details of those consultancy services are outlined in this brochure.

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THE HALF DAY BUSINE SS RE VIE W (SFI FOCUS) Following the launch of SFI in September 2023, for some businesses, maximising returns from SFI will be their primary objective. The half day SFI review is specifically designed to help you understand the SFI options available to you and identify which actions work best for your farm taking into account the business objectives and current farming practices.

We encourage everyone with an interest in the future of the farm to be present at the meeting. This is a key opportunity to have a round table discussion on the aims and objectives of your business. In some cases, SFI funding can be used to facilitate significant changes to the farming model therefore involving all appropriate parties at an early stage can be beneficial.

You will be issued with a concise action plan following the meeting, with a summary of the discussions and outcomes, and targeted recommendations outlining the next steps for you to move your business forward.

The recommendations in this report will determine whether any funded follow-on work will be offered.

The report will contain the following information: FA R M S U M M A R Y A brief overview of the farm, enterprises, and people within the business.

FA R M O B J E C T I V E S A summary of the main objectives outlined by the attendees. These will include personal and business objectives.

S U M M A R Y O F E N V I R O N M E N TA L S C H E M E S A summary of historic and existing public and private environmental schemes.

S F I K E Y D AT E S A N D I N F O R M AT I O N A list of the key dates and information relating to the SFI scheme structure.

PROJECTED SFI SCHEME INCOME Presented in a table format, a summary of the SFI actions discussed in the meeting, the areas available for each action, payment rates per hectare and total payment received.

C O M P L E M E N TA R Y S C H E M E I N C O M E Again, presented in a table format, a summary of any complementary schemes to accompany the SFI application such as CS Capital grants.

C O N S U LTA N T ’ S C O M M E N T S , A C T I O N S A N D R E C O M M E N D AT I O N S The consultant will provide recommendations and key actions from the information shared during the review. These will be specific to the farm and aim to incorporate the business objectives. Any key considerations and intricacies of integrating one or multiple schemes into the business will be explained.

For some businesses, the on-farm business review may be all that is required; an additional pair of eyes to review existing plans or provide some suggestions to consider. Others, whose farms are especially vulnerable to the loss of BPS, or those looking to make substantial changes, will be recommended for further consultancy services to support the viability and profitability of the business. Details of those consultancy services are outlined later in this brochure.

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“ S F I 2 0 2 3 coul d be a game changer fo r far m e rs , b o osting income and i mprovi ng far m i ng techniques. ” GREG RICKETTS HEAD OF FARM BUSINESS

5

BUDGE TING & FINANCIAL PL ANNING CONSULTANC Y SERVICE Budgeting and financial planning are key components of top performing farm businesses, allowing farmers to manage cash flow, identify opportunities for investment, and evaluate individual enterprises within the business in a way that is not usually possible by analysing historic financial accounts.

The act of looking forwards using budget projections, rather than backwards with accounts, helps lead to increased business profitability.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Budgeting and Financial Planning service following the initial on-farm business review, there are two different service packages that we can offer.

HALF DAY SERVICE During the half day service, a consultant will assist you with preparing one of the three following options: •

A partial budget. This is used to appraise the potential financial benefit from alternative options available which may include investment in new equipment or production system changes.

•

A cash flow projection. A simple cash flow projection can be prepared to predict cash availability throughout the coming year and identify opportunities to adjust the timings of sales or purchases, or where borrowing may be required, to maintain a workable bank position throughout the year.

•

Farmer’s balance sheet. This can be used to quantify the value of assets and liabilities on a realisable basis and assess the capital position with a range of financial key performance indicators such as net worth, equity and return on capital (please note that this does not include any formal valuations).

TWO DAY SERVICE A two day Budgeting and Financial Planning service will involve the preparation of a full budget projection for your business for one year to include the following components: •

A summary of projected profitability.

•

A twelve month cash flow projection.

•

Sensitivity analysis.

•

A calculation of debt serviceability (EBITDA ratio).

•

Enterprise gross margins.

•

An assessment of fixed costs.

•

A capital income and expenditure budget.

•

A schedule of bank, hire-purchase and lease loans with amortisation calculations (where required).

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

On-going budgeting and financial planning.

•

Comprehensive investment and system-change appraisals.

•

Preparation of finance requests to banks and alternative lending institutions.

•

Business monitoring including cash and profit and loss variance reporting (against a pre-prepared budget) and production monitoring (dairy, pig and poultry production).

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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BUSINE SS RE S TRUC TURING CONSULTANC Y SERVICE Business restructuring requires significant changes to the financial or operational structure of a farming business. This is often required when the older generation is looking to leave or reduce their role in the business but still requires an income from their capital assets.

Following a restructuring exercise, the business is likely to be left with a smoother, more efficient and economically sustainable business operation.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Business Restructuring service following the initial on-farm business review, you will receive a two day consultancy package that includes: •

An initial audit of all the assets owned by the business and/or the business owners. This audit will ascertain whether the assets are owned as business assets or personal assets of the business owners.

•

A similar audit will be undertaken to determine all the liabilities of the business be it bank loans, family loans, HP or lease agreements or any other form of financial liability.

•

A review of the annual cost to the business of funding the existing liabilities.

•

Determine what changes could be made to reduce the annual cost of these liabilities to the business. Such options could include rationalising the funding profile of the business, selling surplus or under performing assets, altering the enterprise mix, or generating additional income streams.

•

Where the restructuring is a result of the older generation seeking to leave or reduce their role in the business, look to determine options which generate sufficient income for the business owners without imposing significant financial stress on the remaining business.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

On-going detailed budgeting and financial planning.

•

Preparation of finance requests to banks and alternative lending institutions.

•

Business monitoring including cash and profit & loss variance reporting (against a pre-prepared budget) and production monitoring (dairy, pig and poultry production).

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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ENVIRONMENTAL S TE WARDSHIP CONSULTANC Y SERVICE As we move through the Agricultural Transition period, there are multiple funding options available to farm businesses for environmental activity. Legacy schemes, such as Higher Level Stewardship, continue to run alongside Countryside Stewardship and new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, including the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).

Farm businesses now have greater flexibility to move between schemes or ‘stack’ agreements (having multiple active agreements on the same piece of land). These changes come with conditions attached, for example farm businesses cannot be paid for the same activity twice. It is important to understand how the different schemes may fit together and what choices are most advantageous for your business.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Environmental Stewardship service following the initial on-farm business review, there are two different service packages that we can offer.

HALF DAY SERVICE - FOR BUSINESSES WITH EXISTING SCHEMES This service is for businesses with existing schemes who would like to assess the potential of new schemes and ensure that agreements are compatible. This session will include: •

A meeting to understand the existing scheme and location/duration of the options currently in place.

•

A plan will be produced outlining where additional schemes might be entered into, assessing whether there might be advantages to replacing existing schemes (if this is permitted), and setting out the process for applying for new agreements.

HALF DAY SERVICE - FOR BUSINESSES WITHOUT EXISTING SCHEMES This service is for businesses without an existing scheme or with an existing scheme that is about to expire. This session will include: •

A meeting to outline the schemes available and discuss how options can be selected to complement the existing farm business.

•

After the meeting you will receive a plan stating the options discussed, their requirements, and the field parcels on which they have provisionally been located.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

Completion and submission of the stewardship application.

•

On-going support to ensure agreements are implemented in a timely fashion, and all requirements are adhered to.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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GR A SSL AND REGENER ATIVE FARMING CONSULTANC Y SERVICE Livestock farmers, particularly in the beef and sheep sector, are significantly exposed to the impact of reducing subsidy payments which have recently been compounded by significant input price volatility.

While red meat prices have fared reasonably well over the last few years, the market alone cannot be relied upon to maintain profits which historically were heavily influenced by the Basic Payment Scheme.

Our Farm Business Consultancy team possess both practical and technical insight into grassland management and livestock strategies that bring efficiency gains to livestock businesses.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Grassland Regenerative Farming service following the initial onfarm business review, this is offered as a half day consultancy session that includes: •

Initial visit to discuss grassland management principles.

•

Brief farm walk to assess an example of existing infrastructure and opportunities to implement new grassland management techniques.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

Full farm walk to review all infrastructure and create a practical design of your bespoke future grazing system and a personalised action plan to implement your new grassland management strategy.

•

Review current livestock enterprise gross margins alongside a forage-based system to quantify potential productivity benefits against infrastructure costs.

•

Identify Key Performance Indicators to help re-focus livestock strategy.

•

Create and monitor a feed budget focussed around pasture plants and making the most of pasturebased nutrition.

•

In-depth review of infrastructure options, system design and rotational grazing system principles.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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AR ABLE REGENER ATIVE FARMING CONSULTANC Y SERVICE With variable and fixed costs rising, some arable farmers may wish to consider incorporating more regenerative farming practices.

Those who have already adopted these methods have experienced reduced costs, increased profitability, improved soil health, and are less reliant on labour.

Our Arable Regenerative Farming service is offered to businesses seeking to implement these practices.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Arable Regenerative Farming service following the initial onfarm business review, this is offered as a half day consultancy session that includes: •

Initial visit to review the current farming system and establish cropping information including soil types, labour and machinery availability.

•

Following a discussion on the principles of regenerative farming, establish the business aims and objectives in adopting these practices taking into account current and future labour resources, cropping and management practices.

•

Desktop review of which regenerative arable strategies may be achievable on the ground.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

Farm walk to review the infrastructure of the farm, including undertaking a review of the existing soil structure and health.

•

Discuss how the business could successfully move from the current management practices to regenerative farming practices and what changes would be required to achieve this, including financial investment.

•

Review the current arable rotation against the regenerative farming rotation in terms of impact on profitability to net margin level (gross margin plus labour and machinery costs).

•

Budget preparation, on-going monitoring and support.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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SUCCE SSION PL ANNING CONSULTANC Y SERVICE Succession is more than handing the farm over to the next generation.

For many, it is planning for the future.

Whether you are considering re-structuring the business to facilitate a phased retirement, bringing family into the business through new ventures, or considering working with third parties through contract or share farming opportunities, our consultants can help you understand your options.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Succession Planning service following the initial on-farm business review, this is offered as a half day consultancy session that includes: •

Initial meeting to understand the resources available, business viability, tenancy and land tenure implications, opportunities for succession and financing requirements.

•

Preparation of a brief report collating the above information and providing our recommendations.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

Business restructuring requirements, asset review and enterprise performance appraisal to assess the potential to implement an effective succession plan.

•

Budget preparation.

•

Asset valuation or statement of assets and liabilities.

•

For tenancy agreements that include a right of succession, undertake a review of the tenancy agreements and report on the potential eligibility and suitability criteria.

•

Tenancy negotiations with landlord.

•

Advice on exit strategies.

•

Contract farming and share farming arrangements.

•

Development and diversification.

•

In association with your financial and legal advisors, assist with advising on your will and lasting Powers of Attorney.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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DIVERSIFIC ATION CONSULTANC Y SERVICE Diversification is a key opportunity for some farming businesses and can create a valuable additional income stream, lessening reliance on core farming and subsidy payments. Examples of diversification projects include processing, direct marketing, tourism and contracting services.

Choosing the right diversification option is dependent on several factors. Our consultants will help you to look at all resources including land, buildings, people, machinery, and equipment to create an enterprise that has the best chance of success based on your individual circumstances.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are referred to the Diversification service following the initial on-farm business review, this is offered as a half day consultancy session. The session will provide a review of your business opportunities and a prioritised plan to help you fully understand if diversification is for you. It includes: •

Initial meeting to understand strengths of the underlying business, identify resources, people and appropriate skills available, as well as potential requirements, market opportunities and competition.

•

A discussion around the identified diversification, summary of current available grant funding, planning and financial implications.

•

Preparation of an action plan for future work to develop potential opportunities.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

Full and detailed financial modelling.

•

Planning applications.

•

Grant and commercial finance business plans.

•

Preparation of a marketing plan.

•

Asset valuation or statement of assets and liabilities.

•

Tenancy negotiations with landlord.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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ON-FARM RENE WABLE S CONSULTANC Y SERVICE The renewable energy sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the UK. There has been noticeable interest from intensive farming businesses looking to invest in farm-scale renewable energy schemes to meet their own energy consumption and to mitigate energy price volatility, or fuel availability, which significantly threatens future farm profitability.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are referred to the On-Farm Renewables service following the initial on-farm business review, this is offered as a half day consultancy session. The session will provide an audit of your business and energy profile to determine the viability of a renewable energy scheme, and includes: •

Initial site meeting to review the key energy objectives and energy use trends of the farming business.

•

Creation of a site plan detailing existing energy infrastructure and suitable locations for renewable energy installations.

•

Review of 30-minute meter reading data, energy bills and existing energy tariff details.

•

Preparation of a brief report collating the above information and providing our recommendations regarding the potential viability of on-farm renewable schemes.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

Approach a number of reputable contractors to obtain scheme proposals and installation fee quotes.

•

Reviewing quotes and scheme proposals; sense checking figures provided and presenting our recommendations.

•

Liaising with contractor regarding grid connection application or structural surveys.

•

Review planning permission requirements and submitting planning applications as required.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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CONTR AC T & SHARE FARMING CONSULTANC Y SERVICE In recent years there has been a significant increase in the use of Contract Farming Agreements (CFAs) or Share Farming Agreements (SFAs) where there is a requirement or desire for the farm business owner to maintain financial interests in the management of the holding, while bringing another party in to undertake the practical day-to-day management of the farming operations.

Our Farm Business Consultancy team are experienced in helping clients establish bespoke CFAs or SFAs for their business, from tendering to implementation and the subsequent management of these agreements.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Contract or Share Farming Agreement service following the initial on-farm business review, this is offered as a half day consultancy session that could involve either the owner, or operator, or both. The session includes: •

Review of the current farming system, the resources available and objectives of the business owners.

•

Outline the difference between CFAs and SFAs including explaining what each party is expected to put into an agreement both physically and financially.

•

Explain how CFAs and SFAs work operationally and how each party are remunerated.

•

Explain how CFAs and SFAs work in practice in terms of day-to-day operations as well as business management and administration.

•

Make recommendations for an action plan to implement either a CFA or SFA.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

Help source contractors and share farmers where individuals or businesses have not already been identified, including overseeing a formal tendering process if required.

•

Provide guidance on the business structure changes and potential future impact on tax planning, working with your accountant to ensure alignment with any strategies that have been put in place.

•

Provide advice on establishing a CFA or SFA including working with the business owner and preferred contractor/share farmer to agree the terms of any agreement and budgets for the proposed business plan.

•

Help set up business management and administration processes as appropriate.

•

Attend quarterly meetings and ongoing advice, including the calculation of the remuneration due to each party.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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PL ANNING & DE VELOPMENT CONSULTANC Y SERVICE Our experienced planning team are experts in identifying potential development opportunities including the re-purposing of redundant farm buildings, the development of land on the edge of settlements and the change of use of assets to allow for diversification on the farm.

On-farm planning and development does not necessarily mean moving away from agriculture but can also involve the expansion of existing farm businesses such as the erection/replacement of agricultural buildings, new agricultural accesses, rural workers’ dwellings and investment into modern infrastructure such as livestock equipment, arable machinery and slurry infrastructure.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Planning and Development service following the initial on-farm business review, this is offered as a half day consultancy session.

The session will provide an overview of an identified potential development opportunity on the farm, an overview of the best route to achieve consent, and an evaluation of the anticipated costs and timescales for doing so. It includes: •

Completion of due diligence checks prior to a site visit to understand the background of the farm and any barriers to the proposed development.

•

Review of aerial and Ordnance mapping to understand the location and site of the holding.

•

Initial site meeting to review the key development objectives of the farm and opportunities for development.

•

Preparation of a report following the site visit to outline the different planning routes to achieve consent and a brief summary of expected costs and timescales.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

Requesting quotations from consultees to provide supporting documentation to include within a potential submission e.g. architects.

•

Preparation of the planning application and associated costs.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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BIODIVERSIT Y NE T G AIN CONSULTANC Y SERVICE Biodiversity Net Gain is a new requirement introduced by the Environment Act 2021. It obliges developers to deliver a 10% gain in biodiversity compared to pre-development levels. Some developers may need to fund habitat creation or restoration ‘offsite’ to achieve this target.

This service is for farmers who: •

•

•

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Are interested in the opportunities and funding that BNG might bring to their business.

Have been approached by brokers or habitat banks looking for land on which to deliver BNG projects.

Have a development opportunity on their land that might be impacted by BNG.

SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) service following the initial on-farm business review, this is offered as a half day consultancy session. It includes: •

A meeting to discuss your potential BNG project and understand how it sits within your wider farm business and/or land management.

•

A consultant will talk you through the advantages, disadvantages, risks and benefits of a BNG project.

•

After the meeting, you will receive a report summarising the discussion and recommending next steps.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: •

A detailed assessment of the opportunities for BNG on your holding, including projected net gain

•

Arranging surveys such as baseline habitat or hydrological surveys.

•

Advice for landowners or developers on how to meet the BNG requirement for a planned development.

•

Strategic advice on the business structure, legal and tax position before entering into any contractual arrangement.

•

Advice and assistance regarding the marketing and sale of your BNG units.

•

Applying for the necessary consents or permissions needed for a proposed project.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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C ARBON AUDITING C O N S U LTA N C Y S E R V I C E Completing a carbon audit can have practical advantages for any farming business.

A carbon audit is an assessment of the emissions produced as a result of the farm’s operations alongside an assessment of the carbon sequestered by the woods, hedges, peatlands or soils on the holding.

Some potential benefits include cost savings, meeting processor compliance and achieving a higher product price. The UK has a national target to reach net zero by 2050, and the NFU have set an industry deadline for 2040, so it seems likely that in the future all farm businesses will be required to achieve net zero.

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SUMMARY OF SERVICE If you are successfully referred to the Carbon Auditing service following the initial on-farm business review, there are two different service packages that we can offer.

HALF DAY SERVICE Introduction to Carbon Auditing: •

A half day meeting with one of our carbon auditing specialists who will provide an in-depth introduction to the process of carbon auditing with the aim of preparing you to complete a carbon audit yourself using one of the online tools available.

TWO DAY SERVICE Basic Carbon Auditing: •

A carbon audit, completed by a GSC Grays carbon auditing specialist, using historic data compiled by you. We will also provide an action plan to take forward for the next year.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES The following services are not covered by the FBAS scheme, but can be provided on a time charge basis: Full Carbon Accounting Service: •

A bespoke carbon auditing service to produce accurate and repeatable results following a twelve month period of monthly data collection, from which constructive recommendations can be drawn by our carbon auditing specialists. An action plan will be developed between you and the consultant.

•

A range of auxiliary services from renewable energy advice to investment and production system appraisals to ensure that the results of your carbon audit can be applied to deliver the greatest environmental and economic benefits to your business.

Any additional work will be agreed with you prior to any work being undertaken.

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WHO QUALIFIE S FOR THE FREE SERVICE ?

The FBAS service is available to all farmers and land managers, across all farming sectors, who receive BPS in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the North Midlands. As such you MUST have an SBI number.

In addition, as you are only permitted to sign up to the services of one of DEFRA’s funded providers, if you have already given your SBI number to another service provider since October 2022 you are unfortunately not eligible to sign up to ours.

REQUE S T A C ALL BACK If you would like to discuss the FBAS service with one of our team, scan the QR code below to request a call back:

SIG N UP NOW Scan the QR code below to sign up:

Or, visit www.gscgrays.co.uk/fbas-sign-up 03333 059 059 | F B A S @ G S C G R AYS .C O.U K

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“ Th e l o s s of BP S is one of our g reate st co n ce r ns. The f ree a d v i ce we re ce i ved f rom G S C Grays has b e e n a huge catalyst fo r conve rsati o n within the family b u s i ne ss. We a re now looking to m a ke po s i ti ve changes to the farm t h at wi l l u n d o u btedly sup p ort us for ye a rs to co m e .”

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OUR FBA S CONSULTANTS Our dedicated Farm Business Consultancy team combines in-depth local knowledge with technical and business management expertise. We have a passion for the countryside and supporting the rural communities in which we live and work.

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H A N N A H PRO C TO R

T ER @GSCGRAYS.CO.U K

JT T@ GSCGRAYS .CO.U K

H L D @ G S CG R AYS .CO.U K

H R P @ G S CGRAYS.CO.UK

077 76 290150

07949 042566

07506 940255

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RO B ER T S U L L I VA N

G R EG R I CK E T T S

RJ S@GSCGR AYS.CO.U K

GPR@ GSCGRAYS .CO.U K

079 70 475884

JA K E N I XO N

S I M O N WA LTO N

CH A R LOT T E W H I T E

L AU R EN D EN N I S O N

J RN@GSCGRAYS.CO.U K

SIW@ GSCGRAYS .CO.U K

LG D @ G S CGRAYS.CO.UK

07399 136304

07904 788160

C AW@ G S CG R AYS .CO.U K 07539 705055

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WHERE WE C AN HELP We offer our Farm Business Advice Service to farmers in the area shown below.

G S C G R AYS . C O . U K / F B A S