Farm Matters

Farm Matters prides itself on being an easy solution catering for all farm record keeping needs, enabling farm records to be managed in one award winning and friendly software package.

Supported by industry experts who are always happy to help, Farm Matters can submit your cattle passport and movement notifications electronically to BCMS (British Cattle Movement Service) or ScotMoves (Scottish Cattle Movement Service) and sheep movements electronically to Livestock Information. 

We talked to Neil Wilkinson, who has been developing and supplying farm software to UK farmers for over 25 years about why he is so passionate about the Farm Matters programme and how online connectivity supports what he, and his clients, are able to do with it. 

Neil said: “the paperwork requirements within the farming industry are constantly increasing leading to additional pressure on those who work the land around us. Farm Matters has been developed to ease some of this strain providing farm record keeping facilities to over 250 farms in Cumbria, and thousands of others across the UK”. 

“Farm Matters is an online subscription service with no initial cost attached. We offer potential users a free no obligation trial and are confident that once our clients start using the software they will wonder why they haven’t signed up previously. I hear time and time again positive feedback from our clients who have come to really rely on the service we offer”. 

Neil went on “online connectivity is so important within the farming industry. I am very aware that many farms are situated in isolated locations where connectivity can be extremely challenging. It is not uncommon when talking to clients that these businesses are choosing to turn to alternative technologies to fill the connectivity gap, low earth orbit satellite seems to be a really popular option for many who cannot access decent fixed line or 4G mobile connectivity to their premises. That said, I have been pleasantly surprised lately with the numbers who tell me that full fibre has arrived, this is great news for many and I am really supportive of the programmes currently running across the county to further improve services for residents and businesses, the acknowledgement for the need of improved services is great to see”. “The Farm Matters programme relies on our clients being able to access online services to run the programme, download updates, connect to BCMS, ScotMoves and Livestock Information and ensure regular backups of their data. If any of my clients are having problems with their programme, I will often seek remote access to get them back on track, something which works really well and enables me to provide the required support time and time again from wherever I am to wherever they are”. 

In addition to the Farm Matters programme, there are packages of ‘NVZ Matters’ which simplifies the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone management and record keeping using the English version of the legislation and ‘Breed Matters’ for use by breeding society staff allowing searches and submission of registrations. 

Neil went on “Farm Matters is supported and publicised using social media, our website and our digital newsletter which is emailed to users on a monthly basis. Social media has proven to be an important tool to Farm Matters, enabling me to maintain a regular contact with clients and engage with them at the touch of a button when I am at home or when I am out and about. The Farm Matters website showcases all that the software package has to offer and details testimonials from real clients who are successfully using the package. For me this is really important in highlighting the benefits to those who are looking for support of this nature.” 

Neil would encourage those within the agricultural sector to look at the connectivity options available to them “getting online can bring huge support and efficiencies to our businesses, with many connectivity options out there it is definitely worth looking to see what services are available in your area”. 

To find out more about Farm Matters, visit their website and social media page, or contact Neil directly on 01913000189 support@farmmatters.co.uk 

Find out more about all aspects of online connectivity in your area by visiting the Connecting Cumbria website www.connectingcumbria.org.uk