The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: petectid on January 19, 2014, 07:44:29 pm
-
We were given the option to make our return online or to complete the form and post it to defra. Having spent my last life working in the IT industry I'm all for the ease of doing these tasks via the Internet, but don't get me started about the lack of rural broadband. So did my submission on the 13th of December 18 days before the deadline. Anyway yesterday I receive a card from defra informing me they had not yet received my annual inventory, below this request in bold text it says.
We would be grateful if you could now complete the survey at https://defra.experiencehorizon.com/SAG2013
When I login to the above page all the information I posted there in December is still there. Anyone else get a card after completing their inventory online?
-
Sorry I can't help you. I have never been asked to do one but it worries me, tried to talk to someone about it with no luck. Do you get SFP? Is it to do with SFP? Anything to do with the RPA?
-
Not been asked to do one of those yet, but I've had an identical experience with my tax return - filed it (online) mid-December, then get an automated reminder to do it two week into January (and after receiving an acknowledgment though the post confirming they'd received it) - Phoned up to confirm that it was sorted anyway.
I could understand it if I'd put in a paper return - there could be a backlog due to christmas hols - but maybe it's a special feature of computer systems run by Gov't bodies to send out reminders a month after a task has been completed online ;D .
I suspect us taxpayers paid extra for that special feature too ::) .
-
Exactly the same happened to me this year & last year---except I have 9 holding #s so they send me 9 cards!
Call them up and tell them what the score is, it's just DEFRA mayhem....you'll get used to it eventually ;)
-
Does every holding have to actually send in a stock inventory?
I was under the impression that the annual inventory had to be completed and kept as part of the flock book details in case of an inspection.
But I might very well got this wrong. If anybody could clarify I'd be grateful.
-
In Wales it's a paper form. to be completed on 1st January and has to be in by 1st Feb.
4 boxes for sheep - ewes, ewe lambs put to tup, rams and others, one box for goats.
Put mine in the post box this evening.
-
I'm sure they'll ask for it one day, but for the moment they don't and I'm not going chasing.
-
Your right as well LadyK that information is recorded in your Holding Register. The inventory requested by defra I refer to in my opening post wants details of number of Goats and Sheep, what you are keeping them for ie meat, milk, wool etc. And as Dogwalker states they also want to know what has been tupped.
-
I was under the impression that all Holdings that were registered for sheep and goats would be asked to complete this annual survey, it states on the card that it is carried out as there is legislation in place that requires the information. I'm a bit confused as to why we have not all received it.
-
I was under the impression that all Holdings that were registered for sheep and goats would be asked to complete this annual survey, it states on the card that it is carried out as there is legislation in place that requires the information. I'm a bit confused as to why we have not all received it.
Because DEFRA do the survey whilst RPA issue holding numbers and communications isn't their strong point?
-
Does every holding have to actually send in a stock inventory?
I was under the impression that the annual inventory had to be completed and kept as part of the flock book details in case of an inspection.
But I might very well got this wrong. If anybody could clarify I'd be grateful.
I (in Scotland) complete a Holding Register, which is a running total of the number of sheep on the holding during the calender year, starting with a 1st January figure then recording on / off movements. I do it and file it with the movement licences for the year attached but no-one's evr asked me for it.
-
But please be aware that RPA officials can turn up unannounced on the doorstep at any time and ask to see your farm records. They did this one morning last Winter, querying the exact area of grazing with standards we get ELS for. I had a conversation with him from the porch and he was standing at the corner of the farmhouse with just his head sticking round the corner - we'd all been up all night due to a particularly vicious strain of Norovirus that was then circulating in our area!
-
Sorry, I'm even more confused now ???
I'm in Wales too, but I haven't received a card or any other form telling me to post the inventory somewhere?
So if I havent' received anything can I assume I don't need to do anything? (apart from recoding the inventory on my own holding register)
-
Sorry, I'm even more confused now ???
I'm in Wales too, but I haven't received a card or any other form telling me to post the inventory somewhere?
So if I havent' received anything can I assume I don't need to do anything? (apart from recoding the inventory on my own holding register)
If you keep sheep or goats then you should have received a booklet in December and told to fill it in and send back on Jan 1st. If you didn't then ring Defra/AH.
-
Thanks, seems I need to ring DEFRA then to get a booklet for my 7 sheep...
-
Phoned defra this morning to ask about my submission, the lady there said they had a blip in the system and reminder cards had been sent to holdings that had already submitted their inventory. I ask the question as to why not everyone had received the form, she replied that the Animal Health in your locality issue flock numbers but that information did not always get passed on? Don't you just love bureaucracy, having several hundred trading standards bodies issuing flock numbers which are not recorded with defra who are suppose to keep track of the countries stock.