The LCRL service to low income farmers is free and confidential and is available to low income farmers and their families. We offer advice on:

• Retraining for off-farm employment;
• Availing of Farm Assist;
• Investigating farm diversification;
• Accessing further education and training;
• Rights and entitlements for low income farm families;
• Carer's Allowance;
• Pension rights;
• Setting up your own on-farm business;
• Information relating to specific organisations;

Information, advice and training are provided on various agricultural schemes and the rights and entitlements available to farmers:

Information & Advice - available to help you or your spouse

• To get full or part time work;
• To develop your farm, start your own business or alternative enterprise;
• On educational opportunities;
• On farm consultations to assist with completing forms, filing, accounts, financial budgeting and other farm issues.

Training is run on:

• Agricultural and Social Welfare Schemes;
• Pre-employment programmes for farmers and their spouses - bookkeeping and taxation;
• Short courses to provide information to low income farmers and their families on services relating to farm taxation matters, correct form filling, simple accounting and farm family budgeting;
• Alternative Enterprise for example organic production.

Farm Assist is a payment to farmers based on yearly farm income. Many farmers may prefer to know if they are entitled to the payment before approaching their local Social Welfare office.

The LCRL Farm Family Development Worker (Mary) has a Farm Assist calculator which can determine if a farmer has an entitlement. Having this information can be a deciding factor when considering whether or not to submit a claim. To effectively use the Farm Assist calculator it is important to correctly identify yearly farm income as accepted by a Social Welfare office. The accounts suitable for Social Welfare purposes are different than the accounts suitable for the Revenue Commissioners.

If you are considering applying for Farm Assist, the Farm Family Development Worker can input your farm income details in to the Farm Assist Calculator. Please do not hesitate to contact Mary Mulvey, Farm Family Development Worker at 043-3345555 or email at mmulvey@lcrl.ie.

In 2004, LCRL founded Longford Farmers Market which currently operates a weekly market each Friday in the Market Square, Longford. Training and support is provided to farmers in establishing their small business, including food safety and hygiene. Funding towards the set up costs may be available for small farmers or their spouses. The Longford Farmers Market Committee, now independent of LCRL, is always looking for new products and new suppliers to the market. Further details are available from any committee member at the market or by contacting Shirley O'Halleran (Chairperson) at 043-3322470 or by email: shirleyohalleran@eircom.net. At present, Longford Farmers Market sells home baking, conserves, eggs, cheese, fresh vegetables, organic fruit and vegetables, olives, olive oil, fish, summer bedding plants and vegetable plants.

In 2007 LCRL carried out a detailed Training Needs Analysis to identify the training needs of low income farmers in County Longford. 54 smallholders from Co. Longford were interviewed by the Farm Family Development Worker in August 2007. The survey identified a need for Computer Training tailored to the needs of smallholders in Co. Longford. The information from the training needs survey carried out by LCRL was used by the BMW Smallholder Skillnet to lever funding from Skillnets. From January 2008 to March 2010 the BMW Smallholder Skillnet provided part funding for almost 100 low income farmers in Longford to complete training in Welding, Ecotourism, Tiling, Computer Literacy and Interior Design. The BMW Smallholder Skillnet ceased trading on 31st March 2010.

A course has been devised by LCRL association with Teagasc to assist low income farmers families in looking at working off the farm. The course includes modules on Time Management, Farm Family Budgeting, Preparing a CV, Interview Skills, Farm Enterprise and Personal Development. The aim of the course is to provide improved living standards for low income farmers and their families. The next course will commence on Tuesday 5th October 2010 at 10am in Teagasc, Town Centre, Longford.