Advanced Cert in Agriculture - Online

SuckinDiesel

I'm lookin to get stamp duty releif and can only find one part time course that will qualify for this.

Has anyone done the online Cert from teagasc? http://www.teagasc.ie/ecollege/ACA_Online_AppInfoAndForm.pdf

Are there any other ones that would be better (quicker and cheaper !!) ?

Dozer1

I did the online course in 2006, back then we had to do 40 and 80 hour course and it was handy out. We had to do assignments each week online and 3 Fridays in an ag college for practical stuff like health and safetly, grass measuring and animal scoring. I think I was one of the lucky ones though as I met one of the trainers lately and he said this new course required alot more effort and time. He didn't agree with it anyway, I think you have alot more days to attend at the colleges. Makes no sense really as most people going doing the course are working full time and that's why they are doing the course in the first place.

Baralis1

I've done the current course recently and while some of it was very informative, I thought an awful lot of it was a waste of time and required a lot of time put in to it, not really suitable to someone working full time. There were about 23 days required in college, all weekdays, often at random days in the middle of the week not suitable to someone working fulltime with a distance to travel. There was very short notice of some of the days required. There was an awful lot of time wasted then on the days down there. There was a lot wasted sitting around waiting to start, and after various tea breaks etc that were taken religously maybe end up only doing two hours work in total.

Most of the course material was aimed at big intensive full time farms and not suitable in my opinion for the smaller farm found in parts of Ireland

SuckinDiesel

Thanks Baralis1 and Dozer1, As far as I'm aware this is now the only part-time course that allows you to be classified as a trained farmer.

This is an online, part time course so is therefore aimed at people in full time employment.
I don't know how they think someone in full time employment can take 23 week days off at random in one year. The normal annual leave days is only 21 days.

Any other views on this?

niallf

SD,

I am looking to do this course too. In fact I have the application form on my desk ready to be filled in. Now I am in a 9 to 5 job and after reading these posts its beginning to sink in that the course isnt exactly geared for those in full time employment if you have to take random days off during the week!

If I applied for the course and then if the timetable didnt suit, would the application fee be refundable I wonder?

Niall

reilig

SuckinDiesel wrote: »

Thanks Baralis1 and Dozer1, As far as I'm aware this is now the only part-time course that allows you to be classified as a trained farmer.

This is an online, part time course so is therefore aimed at people in full time employment.
I don't know how they think someone in full time employment can take 23 week days off at random in one year. The normal annual leave days is only 21 days.

Any other views on this?

Most of the days in are on saturdays. I think that there is no more than 6 week days throught the course.

The old 180 hour course had 4 week days on course.

SuckinDiesel

i sent in the application form there anyway....

they said they would refund the money if the dates don't suit.. if you need the e-mail to get the refund in july i can send it on to you

niallf

Grand, I reckon i could survive with only six weekdays, so i think i will apply. thanks for the info.

PANADOL

reilig wrote: »

Most of the days in are on saturdays. I think that there is no more than 6 week days throught the course.

The old 180 hour course had 4 week days on course.

This may seem as a stupid question but what are the beneifits of doing this course as in why do people do this course? apart from self interest and all that

glanman

Would this course be sufficient for my brother and I? We are both farmer's sons and enjoy working on the farm and would want to keep it going when the time comes. What course or qualifications do we need so that we can maintain the herd number, draw down payments etc... We both work fulltime so long distance is the option that suits most...

Baralis1

reilig wrote: »

Most of the days in are on saturdays. I think that there is no more than 6 week days throught the course.

The old 180 hour course had 4 week days on course.

I just finished the course recently, and none of the days were on Saturdays.

reilig

Baralis1 wrote: »

I just finished the course recently, and none of the days were on Saturdays.

Next door neighbour finished it just today - did final exams in Mountbellew, and almost all of his days were saturdays. Maybe its the luck of the draw.

PANADOL

reilig wrote: »

Most of the days in are on saturdays. I think that there is no more than 6 week days throught the course.

The old 180 hour course had 4 week days on course.[/QUOTE
could you explain to me why people are doing this course apart from personal interest, as i cant see any immediate benefits in return for time/money invested, people at teageac could off no reasons either are people very bored?

reilig

PANADOL wrote: »

reilig wrote: »

Most of the days in are on saturdays. I think that there is no more than 6 week days throught the course.

The old 180 hour course had 4 week days on course.[/QUOTE
could you explain to me why people are doing this course apart from personal interest, as i cant see any immediate benefits in return for time/money invested, people at teageac could off no reasons either are people very bored?

People do it to obtain a certificate in agriculture. This certificate exempts you from paying the stamp duty on any land that is inherited or bought (which can be a significant amount of money).

In the past, young trained farmers were eligable for installation aid - however the economic downturn has seen this scheme closed.
Young people also did this course in order for to qualify to take over land under the farm retirement scheme - however this too has been cut.
In the last round of FWMS grants, a young trained farmer qualified for an extra rate of payment.
Young trained farmers are also looked on more favourably when they apply to the national reserve for entitlements etc.

Hope this info helps.

niallf

regarding the stamp duty exemption, would you know whether you have to be 'under 35' or '35 or under' to avail?

F.D

I thought once you had any 3rd level qualifications and a herd number you could get the benifits rellig listed ?

SuckinDiesel

i think you have to be under 35....



http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/stamp-duty/leaflets/sd2b.pdf

niallf

thanks for the info. Im 33, going on 34 so its now or never!

reilig

F.D wrote: »

I thought once you had any 3rd level qualifications and a herd number you could get the benifits rellig listed ?

You have to have the course as far as I know. When I did it in 2006 there were 3 solicitors doing the course. None of them owned farms or came from farming families. All doing it for stamp duty exemptions - so they informed us.

John_F

reilig wrote: »

You have to have the course as far as I know. When I did it in 2006 there were 3 solicitors doing the course. None of them owned farms or came from farming families. All doing it for stamp duty exemptions - so they informed us.

sure was it michael o learly's wife or tony ryan's wife (ryanair) done it.. well that was the 180 hour one.. they have changed it over a number of months now i think because of people with a non farming interest

@F. D> no the courses must be related to agriculture to get stamp duty off e.g. attended an agri college or horticulture college, or done ag science in ucd etc

cowbox

My nephew did one yr of Ag Science in Ucd dropped out after 1st yr due to personal reasons but passed all his exams and everything.. would he apply for getting task relief or anything??

PN14

I did the course last year in Gurteen. All the days were week days. It was the first run of the course so there were theething problems. I think everyone including the tutors were getting used to it. There were upwards of 20 days required to attend the college usually one day a month from September to end of May plus one full week of 5 days.

The days in the college were very spread out. Usually starting around 10 and finish at 4 with 1 hr for lunch and a couple of tea breaks. The tutors said days were late start to help people travelling [two hr radius from college seemed to be travel time for most people on the course however all the lads said they would prefer longer days but less of them]. If the days were structured better the course could be covered in half the time i.e. 10 college days. We seemed to spend most of our time in the college standing around waiting.

To be fair though generally on a college days we had to do two exams on separate areas covered during the month. Each area had a course book with on average 150 pages. The exams were based on the content of the book. If they did reduce the number of days in college it would mean more exams on the days you were in and that would mean having to get through 4 course books which is a lot of info to digest.

There is a fair bit of work involved. Its not necessarily taxing but it does eat up time. There are on-line question / answer sessions to be done in between college days usually 2 per month and there are also a few fairly big projects to complete and two diary's to keep of farmwork. You will need access to the farm accounts and farm records etc. Without full access to these you will find it hard to get some of the work done.

I think everyone on our course were complaining of the time off / workload issues. They may have improved this since as our course were the first to complete it. Having said all of the above in the areas that were relevant to our farm I did find the course helpful and some of the things we did on the course we have implemented at home even the old lad says some of the things were good.

Sorry about long post.

nashmach

I have just sent off my acceptance for the latest batch of courses last week. These are beginning in September but really getting going until Februray. 11 of the dates have been included and they are all either Monday or Friday. The first meeting is at 7pm in the evening on a Tuesday which is not one bit convenient! There is a mention of a minimum of 20 days but the other dates have not been announced.

I am lucky my employer is relatively flexible and I hate foreign holidays so have plenty of days built up for this and will still have enough days for my tyre kicking machinery days as well as tractor jockey for the harvest. If not I would be very very mad especially if there is a lot of wasted time!!!

Hope it is not too hard to get back into study - biggest bugbear is the cost! Over €2000!

Shauny2010

cowbox wrote: »

My nephew did one yr of Ag Science in Ucd dropped out after 1st yr due to personal reasons but passed all his exams and everything.. would he apply for getting task relief or anything??

As far as i know you needed to complete 2 years 3rd level (any course above level 6)

Injuryprone

niallf wrote: »

thanks for the info. Im 33, going on 34 so its now or never!

You don't have to have it done before you get the land. All you have to do is make sure you buy / inherit the land before your 35th birthday. You have to pay the stamp duty initially, but once you complete the course within 4 years you can claim back a refund.

studdlymurphy

It says on the Teagasc website that the 100 & 80 hour courses no longer qualify for stamp duty exemption is this for the courses completed from now on or if the course was done a few years back another one is needed?

http://www.teagasc.ie/training/forms/

reilig

studdlymurphy wrote: »

It says on the Teagasc website that the 100 & 80 hour courses no longer qualify for stamp duty exemption is this for the courses completed from now on or if the course was done a few years back another one is needed?

http://www.teagasc.ie/training/forms/

If you have done the 180 hour course in the past then you still qualify for the stamp duty exemption. You cannot do the 180 hour course anymore. I think that's what they mean by it. Typical Fuzz from teagasc.

studdlymurphy

My sister needs to complete a course to be exempt from stamp duty. She has no qualifications what is her best route to do this as she is in full time employment.
Thanks for the help

hurling_lad

reilig wrote: »

If you have done the 180 hour course in the past then you still qualify for the stamp duty exemption. You cannot do the 180 hour course anymore. I think that's what they mean by it. Typical Fuzz from teagasc.

You lads gave me a fright there, but it says on page 4 of this Revenue leaflet that people who have done the old 180 hours before 2 April 2007 qualify for the stamp duty relief.

reilig

hurling_lad wrote: »

You lads gave me a fright there, but it says on page 4 of this Revenue leaflet that people who have done the old 180 hours before 2 April 2007 qualify for the stamp duty relief.

Exactly - because after April 2007, you couldn't do the 180 hour course.

reilig

studdlymurphy wrote: »

My sister needs to complete a course to be exempt from stamp duty. She has no qualifications what is her best route to do this as she is in full time employment.
Thanks for the help

She cannot do the online course if she has no qualifications. She will need to contact her local teagasc office to find out what courses are available and where.

studdlymurphy

studdlymurphy wrote: »

My sister needs to complete a course to be exempt from stamp duty. She has no qualifications what is her best route to do this as she is in full time employment.
Thanks for the help

Bump

adne

reilig wrote: »

Exactly - because after April 2007, you couldn't do the 180 hour course.

I completed the 180 Hours course from Oct 2007 to Mar 2008. I am under the impression that I qualify.

reilig

adne wrote: »

I completed the 180 Hours course from Oct 2007 to Mar 2008. I am under the impression that I qualify.

Are you sure those dates are correct. I did my 180 hour course from October 2006 to March 2007 and they told us that we were the last class to be doing the 180 hour course and from then on a new course would be introduced which involved a lot more than the 4 days that we spent in ag college.

Toplink

reilig wrote: »

Are you sure those dates are correct. I did my 180 hour course from October 2006 to March 2007 and they told us that we were the last class to be doing the 180 hour course and from then on a new course would be introduced which involved a lot more than the 4 days that we spent in ag college.

Yeah, I did that course in summer of 2006 and was told the same story.

adne

reilig wrote: »

Are you sure those dates are correct. I did my 180 hour course from October 2006 to March 2007 and they told us that we were the last class to be doing the 180 hour course and from then on a new course would be introduced which involved a lot more than the 4 days that we spent in ag college.

Doubled checked - Definitely correct as I spent 2 years in Australia prior to this April 05 to May 07. Started the Course at Night in Navan on Oct 07 and finished around March 08.

Whole point of doing the course was to qualify for stamp Duty. Was told we were the last batch doing the course

reilig

adne wrote: »

Doubled checked - Definitely correct as I spent 2 years in Australia prior to this April 05 to May 07. Started the Course at Night in Navan on Oct 07 and finished around March 08.

Whole point of doing the course was to qualify for stamp Duty. Was told we were the last batch doing the course

Oh, I was referring to the online 180 hour course. Was the night course not referred to as a certificate in agriculture rather than a 180 hour course??

adne

reilig wrote: »

Oh, I was referring to the online 180 hour course. Was the night course not referred to as a certificate in agriculture rather than a 180 hour course??

it was all the one.. Night course was broken into two phases.
100 Hrs and 80 Hrs

reilig

I thought you didn't have to have an underlying qualification (Fetac level 6 or above) to do it through the night course whereas you needed it for the Online one. Online course was broken into 2 phases also, but most of the 180 hours were made up of reading time and online posting time rather than time spent in a classroom.

adne wrote: »

it was all the one.. Night course was broken into two phases.
100 Hrs and 80 Hrs

adne

reilig wrote: »

I thought you didn't have to have an underlying qualification (Fetac level 6 or above) to do it through the night course whereas you needed it for the Online one. Online course was broken into 2 phases also, but most of the 180 hours were made up of reading time and online posting time rather than time spent in a classroom.

Not sure.. it was all that was available to me at the time