Farmers in Wales asked to re-register with Farming Connect

Farmers in Wales who use Farming Connect will need to re-register to continue accessing support services following changes by the Welsh government to the way farmers and rural businesses access assistance.

The move is part of a UK-wide transition away from the Government Gateway system to the new Gov.uk One Login and came into effect at the start of the month.

Farming businesses are being urged to update their details as soon as possible to avoid any break in access to Farming Connect’s services, including advisory support, business planning, animal health and welfare training, and resources designed to help farm businesses prepare for the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).

See also: Welsh government launches farm loan scheme

The Welsh government said it is “essential” for farmers to complete re‑registration to also maintain access to their “Storfa Sgiliau” skills record.

Once re‑registration is completed, existing records will not be lost, according to the Welsh government.

Data transfer

“By following the process and re‑registering, all your previous training history and Personal Development Plan (PDP) information will automatically transfer from your old account to your new one,” the guidance states.

Maintaining access to historic Storfa Sgiliau data is particularly important for anyone planning to apply for the SFS, which is expected to place greater emphasis on skills, training and evidence of professional development.

Re-registering

Under the changes, all users must first create a Gov.uk One Login account and then use it to re‑register with Farming Connect.

To complete the process, businesses will need:

• A Gov.uk One Login account, created via Gov.uk
• Access to RPW Online to re-register with Farming Connect using the new login
• Their existing CON number, which has been set out in letters sent to all users

Farmers can contact the Service Centre on 03456 000 813 or visit the Farming Connect website for further guidance on setting up a Gov.uk One Login account and completing re‑registration.