What is the Farm Business Planner?
The CAFRE Farm Business Planner (FBP) is an online cash flow tool to calculate a five year business plan, based on current farm business performance. It enables the user to compare a baseline business plan with a projected set of figures, to determine how cash flow would be affected by a significant change or investment in the farm business. This change could be changing the scale of a current enterprise, the addition of one or more new enterprises, or stopping a current enterprise entirely. The business plan will help you determine the feasibility of an investment and how worthwhile the investment might be.
Farm Business Improvement Scheme (FBIS)
The Farm Business Planner forms part of the FBIS Tier 2 Tranche 2 application process. Only the cash flow reports generated by the FBP will be accepted as part of your application. Cash flows from other systems will not be accepted.
Getting Started and Logging In
The FBP application can only be accessed through the Government Gateway by clicking the link at the bottom of this page. You should log in using your 12 digit Government Gateway number and password. The next step requires you to enter your Farm Business number (linked to your Government Gateway) and your Planner Code, (a unique 8 digit code), which you will have received from the FBIS team via email.
When you enter the FBP application for the first time, you will be asked which year the plan is to start. For applications to Tier 2, Tranche 2 of the FBIS, you should start your plan in 2022. After selecting your start year, you will be presented with the Summary Dashboard.
Guidance notes and Worked examples are available below to help you in completing your Farm Business Planner:
- CAFRE Farm Business Planner Help and Guidance Notes (See document at the bottom of this page)
- Worked example for Construction and Equipment projects
- Worked example for Equipment only projects
Agent Access
An agent can access the FBP application to complete a farm business plan on your behalf. To allow this to happen you must share your Business ID and Planner Code with your chosen agent. Please be aware that this will allow the agent to enter data on your behalf on the FBP application and they will not gain access to any other applications, such as APHIS Online. The agent should log into the system using their own Government Gateway credentials, but enter your Business ID and Planner Code when asked which business plan they wish to view.
Farm business planner login
CAFRE Farm Business Planner Help and Guidance Notes