Excellent turnout for first '˜Making Tax Digital' seminar

Over 150 farmers and family members turned out for the first of the ongoing series of '˜Making Tax Digital' seminar at Loughry Campus.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Nov 2018, 07:37 BST
Updated 8th Jan 2019, 16:53 BST
A section of the large audience listening intently at the first 'Making Tax Digital' seminar held at Loughry Campus, Cookstown.A section of the large audience listening intently at the first 'Making Tax Digital' seminar held at Loughry Campus, Cookstown.
A section of the large audience listening intently at the first 'Making Tax Digital' seminar held at Loughry Campus, Cookstown.

The seminars have been arranged jointly between CAFRE and Rural Support under the Farm Family Key Skills [FFKS] scheme which is part funded by the EU under the NI Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

The seminars are delivered by speakers from Rural Support and qualified accountants from accountancy firm PKF/FPM. Topics covered include an overview and awareness of the new HMRC ‘Making Tax Digital’ system including issues surrounding the submission of records, choice of appropriate software and the cost implications for the farm business.

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The key take home message for farmers is that they need to be prepared for ‘Making Tax Digital’ before April 2019 by choosing an accounting system that meets the new tax requirements and suits the farm business.

The platform party pictured at Loughry Campus during the recent Making Tax Digital seminar. Included are Lowry Grant, from accountancy firm PKF/FPM, with Charlie Kilpatrick and Gillian Reid, of Rural Support.The platform party pictured at Loughry Campus during the recent Making Tax Digital seminar. Included are Lowry Grant, from accountancy firm PKF/FPM, with Charlie Kilpatrick and Gillian Reid, of Rural Support.
The platform party pictured at Loughry Campus during the recent Making Tax Digital seminar. Included are Lowry Grant, from accountancy firm PKF/FPM, with Charlie Kilpatrick and Gillian Reid, of Rural Support.

The seminar was very well received and ended with a lively Q&A session which provided the opportunity for the speakers to highlight the key areas which farmers should address with their own accountant or agent.

Glenn Cuddy, from Donaghmore, who attended the first seminar at Loughry Campus with his wife Heather said: “It was great to be updated on this important change by excellent speakers who obviously had a very good understanding of the issues facing farmers.”

The current series of seminars will continue with additional dates for November confirmed as Grant’s Pub, Mayobridge on Monday 19th, the Silver Birch Hotel Omagh on Tuesday 20th, Enniskillen Campus on Wednesday 21st, Tirgan Community Association (Tirgan Hall), Moneymore on Monday 26th, Agri-Food Biosciences Institute (AFBI) on Wednesday 28th and Magherabuoy House Hotel, Portrush on Thursday 29th of November. Doors open at 7.30pm with seminars beginning at 8pm.

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Details of all seminar dates can be found on the CAFRE website: www.cafre.ac.uk/industry-support/farm-family-key-skills/business-planning/.

Further event dates will be released in the New Year.

The seminars are free to farmers, members of the farm family and employees. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters within farm families would all benefit from attending a seminar. Attendees should bring details of their Farm Business ID with them to register on the night.

For further information, telephone the programme delivery agent Rural Support on 028 8676 0040.