RT Coping Strategies

[Sid]

I think @happycows other half does a secretary type service on farm

 

[DrWazzock]

I think on your acreage and continual battle with ageing machinery etc, I’d seriously consider grassing it all, either as part of a scheme or just go back to keeping sheep. It’d be just as profitable and less stressful. Hope this doesn’t offend as not intended.

You’re a small farm and you’ve offloaded all the livestock haven’t you? I’d have thought you’d be glad of some tedious paperwork to fill your spare time.

Or is it more that you dislike it so much you keeping making up jobs that need doing/fixing to delay the inevitable?

If it’s the latter then Cross Compliance Solutions is one company that will come in and organise your mess for you, and even go through the inspection for you if you dislike tea making too.
I dare say there are other companies specialising in it too.

Agricultural Compliance and Health & Safety Specialists | CXCS

CXCS are the UK leaders, with the most experienced advisors in the business. Bespoke documents for Agricultural Compliance, Farm Safety, Farm Assurance, dedicated BPS agents and all year round Help & Support.

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I have spent the last fortnight roguing and changing my tractor clutch. The tractor clutch still isn’t quite finished but it’s getting there. Also making a few acres of hay. I just do what I need to do for the business and it’s either that or let it or sell up. There’s no way we can afford machinery that doesn’t need an overhaul now and again. The admin is nuisance. My agronomist writes lots of tickets, I fill in the operator section but the whole lot needs transcribing to field records which seems an utterly pointless exercise to me when there is critical work needs doing. It’s dead unproductive work that benefits no one. Get somebody else to do it. Concentrate on what really matters like getting my main tractor back up and running.

 

[Rookie]

I've got my RT inspection tomorrow.
Inspector turned up a couple of days ago to my surprise ready to do inspection. Seemed quite put out when I said he was a couple of days early and that I was too busy to do it.!! Seemed quite sure he was booked in.
Luckily when he originally booked meeting I got him to confirm by text and queried it as date didn't match corresponding day. Got him to check his text he sent and had to admit he was wrong.
Not sure if I am allowed to make mistakes !
Surely they should be able to read a calendar.

 

[DRC]

I've got my RT inspection tomorrow.
Inspector turned up a couple of days ago to my surprise ready to do inspection. Seemed quite put out when I said he was a couple of days early and that I was too busy to do it.!! Seemed quite sure he was booked in.
Luckily when he originally booked meeting I got him to confirm by text and queried it as date didn't match corresponding day. Got him to check his text he sent and had to admit he was wrong.
Not sure if I am allowed to make mistakes !
Surely they should be able to read a calendar.

Should’ve said, well we can do it now but you’ll have to be quick

 

[Flat 10]

I have spent the last fortnight roguing and changing my tractor clutch. The tractor clutch still isn’t quite finished but it’s getting there. Also making a few acres of hay. I just do what I need to do for the business and it’s either that or let it or sell up. There’s no way we can afford machinery that doesn’t need an overhaul now and again. The admin is nuisance. My agronomist writes lots of tickets, I fill in the operator section but the whole lot needs transcribing to field records which seems an utterly pointless exercise to me when there is critical work needs doing. It’s dead unproductive work that benefits no one. Get somebody else to do it. Concentrate on what really matters like getting my main tractor back up and running.

Why on earth are you transcribing spray tickets to field records? If it has a field name on the rec it’s a field record surely?

 

[happycows]

I think @happycows other half does a secretary type service on farm

She does but has turned lots away of late sorry.

IAgsa is the association of farm secretaries. Might be worth a look.

 

[DrWazzock]

Why on earth are you transcribing spray tickets to field records? If it has a field name on the rec it’s a field record surely?

Tell me about it. They won’t accept spray tickets even though essentially it’s a field record. And they want a full list of the actives not just the trade name of the product even though that info can be found online any time you like which was the last straw for me.

 

[David.]

Product name and MAPP number is all they will get here, that is what legislation demands.

 

[spin cycle]

Tell me about it. They won’t accept spray tickets even though essentially it’s a field record. And they want a full list of the actives not just the trade name of the product even though that info can be found online any time you like which was the last straw for me.

my spray tickets have actives on them

 

[curlietailz]

Had mine last week. The inspector picked a field and wanted to see full traceability of that field
Including the seed bag ticket for the seed that was sown in that field.
luckily I’m a geek and had one in the pile of seed bag tickets.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Had mine last week. The inspector picked a field and wanted to see full traceability of that field
Including the seed bag ticket for the seed that was sown in that field.
luckily I’m a geek and had one in the pile of seed bag tickets.

should've asked if he could do exactly the same with that boat load of soya that just come in at the docks

 

[DrWazzock]

my spray tickets have actives on them

Mine do. They are comprehensive. Every year I ask the inspector if I need to write it all out again and he says yes I must do so. It adds nothing. Nobody has ever asked to see spray tickets or field records in thirty years ……. Except for the RT inspector. So it’s a kind of self serving self perpetuating system. I know it’s a legal requirement to keep such records but the format isn’t laid down in law to the same degree as specified by RT.

 

[Flat 10]

Mine do. They are comprehensive. Every year I ask the inspector if I need to write it all out again and he says yes I must do so. It adds nothing. Nobody has ever asked to see spray tickets or field records in thirty years ……. Except for the RT inspector. So it’s a kind of self serving self perpetuating system. I know it’s a legal requirement to keep such records but the format isn’t laid down in law to the same degree as specified by RT.

I don't think anyone else is are they? What possible difference does duplicating it make? And what is his justification?

 

[neilo]

my spray tickets have actives on them

So do mine, along with spaces for me to make up wind speeds, etc.

However, I’m not FA for cereals, so perhaps I could swap my tickets with @DrWazzock ?

 

[DrWazzock]

I don't think anyone else is are they? What possible difference does duplicating it make? And what is his justification?

I really don’t know. I will have to dig into it. Some spray tickets perhaps cover two fields but each field is itemised on the ticket with areas and quantities so all the info is there. It would be easy enough to photocopy the ticket if he want a complete set of tickets for each field, the set of tickets then making a complete field record. But no he insists on a ledger style sheet for each field. A chronological list of chemical applications, not a wedge of spray tickets. In an ideal world I’d say oh yes that’s nice, but does it add anything? No, and as nobody as asked to see them in 30 years other than the inspector it’s all a bit pointless. Which is why the Mrs is doing them as she likes doing different colours and aruff and farting about with excel.

 

[nick...]

Had mine last week. The inspector picked a field and wanted to see full traceability of that field
Including the seed bag ticket for the seed that was sown in that field.
luckily I’m a geek and had one in the pile of seed bag tickets.

I had this yesterday.picked any field and supplied a spray rec,which is supplied by agrovista,my fertiliser records,fertiliserdelivery ticket and the label from a bag of seed used in the field.also soil analysis from 2019 which was last time the farm was done.that was pretty much it really,oh and name and number of bee keeper.
nick...

 

[DRC]

Tell me about it. They won’t accept spray tickets even though essentially it’s a field record. And they want a full list of the actives not just the trade name of the product even though that info can be found online any time you like which was the last straw for me.

My inspectors have always been happy with the spray recs/ advise sheet. It has all the info required on it. Just have to fill in the bit at the bottom with date, time and weather .

 

[MrNoo]

i struggle to see how an outsider could help that much ....if you're doing work that needs recording by the time you've told them surely it's as easy to write it down yourself

No, you just tell them the week before inspection, much like how most do their records

 

[DrWazzock]

The rules are being applied inconsistently then. Some are getting away with using the agronomists spray recommendation sheet but I’m not. It’s a proper recommendation sheet produced by gatekeeper, completed by myself after every job. Proper job but not good enough in this neck of the woods.

 

[DrWazzock]

I dare say some bright spark could “generate” the paperwork required for a typical 200 acre cereal farm without needing to be told anything whatsoever ….. but we won’t go there.