The NFU has published The Future of Food 2040, a report which examines how changing trends on what we eat and how we eat it will affect farmers and growers in the UK. The report can be downloaded from the NFU website.
Key elements of the Countryside Stewardship (CS) scheme have opened for applications today (18th February). They include:- Higher Tier; Mid Tier; the 4 Wildlife Offers; and the Hedgerows and Boundaries Capital Grant Application packs for Mid Tier can be requested online via the Rural Payments service by 31st May 2019. Higher Tier application packs must be requested by 31st March 2019 by phoning the RPA (03000 200 301). The 4 Wildlife Offers and the Hedgerows and Boundaries Capital...
The Scottish Government has announced that a new Rural Economy Action Group is to be set up to ensure that rural policy is embedded in decision-making and to promote the rural economy. Further detail is available on the Scottish Government website.
The Scottish Government has announced details of a series of free to attend training and networking events, for all local authority staff and members of SCPA, RICS, SOLAR and ACES, on the subject of “Delivering a Successful Compulsory Purchase Project”. The training dates will be held at the following : Perth 4th March 2019 @ Perth and Kinross Council City Chambers, 2 High Street, Perth, PH1 5PH Edinburgh 25th March 2019, Scottish Government, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ...
The first year of the Scottish Biodiversity Challenge Fund (BCF) has been launched, with up to £1 million of funding available for 2019/20. The funding is to support 'large-scale' projects to improve habitats, protect species and encourage increased access to nature. Scottish Natural Heritage is looking for 'innovative ideas' and has published a News Release around the launch of the fund. Further information about the BCF can be found on Scottish Natural Heritage's website....
Scotland's Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing, has confirmed that nationally-funded loans of up to 90% of Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) 2018 payment values are to be made available to eligible claimants, with payments starting April 2019. Loan offer letters should start to be sent from 1st March. Further information is available on the Scottish Government website....
The Institute of Agricultural Management's National Farm Management Conference 2019 will take place in London on 13th February 2019. Fellows of the CAAV are offered the IAgrM member rate to attend - a saving of £60. Simply complete the booking form as if you are an IAgrM member. Details and a booking form are available on the IAgrM website at https://www.iagrm.org.uk/events/ The conference attracts BASIS and NRoSO points....
The RPA has confirmed that 93.4% of BPS 2018 claimants received a payment by 31st December 2018. This equates to 78,787 claimants with a value of over £1.57 billion. Further information is available on GOV.UK.
Scotland's Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing, has announced two initiatives to streamline the foresty grants process during a debate today in the Scottish Parliament on Future Rural Policy and Support in Scotland. The initiatives are:- 1) to review the current process for forestry grant applications; and 2) to review the Forestry Grant Scheme to allow more "small landowners" to access financial support for tree planting and woodland creation. Further information is available on the...
The Welsh Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, has announced that £5m of Rural Development Programme funding is to be made available to help eradicate sheep scab in Wales. A news release is available on the Welsh Government website.
The Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, has delivered a speech at the Oxford Farming Conference 2019. The full text of the speech is available on GOV.UK.
The Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, has published draft clauses on environmental principles and governance which are to form part of the Environment Bill due to be introduced in 2019. Further details are available in DEFRA's press release....
The 2019 subscription renewal demands are being sent out with the December News Letter. The continuing development of the CAAV’s website now allows members to pay their subscriptions on-line, using credit or debit cards through the Members’ Area of the CAAV website. As with other purchases on the website, payment is made through the secure facility provided by Sage Pay – no card details are held on the CAAV website. This is an additional option, alongside payment by bank transfer and by...
DEFRA has confirmed that farmers in parts of the bovine TB Edge area who remain clear of bovine TB for at least six years will be allowed to revert to annual testing, rather than six-monthly testing. This change is to take effect from May 2019. A press release is available on GOV.UK....
The Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, has launched a new Resources and Waste Strategy. A news release is available on GOV.UK which gives further details and has a link to the Strategy document.
17th December 2018 The 2018 CAAV examination results are being sent out to candidates today. We are pleased to welcome 83 new Fellows, a very similar number to the 84 who achieved the FAAV qualification to last year. With a higher than average pass rate, average marks in all parts of the examinations are consistent with previous years. We congratulate all who have been successful this year and offer best wishes for next year to those who passed part only or failed. Those wanting a feedback...
The new First Minister for Wales, Mark Drakeford, has announced his cabinet which sees Lesley Griffiths remain as Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs. Full details of the cabinet are available on the Welsh Government website.
The new First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, has announced his cabinet which sees Lesley Griffiths remain as Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs. Full details of the cabinet are available on the Welsh Government website.
Since the BPS 2018 payment window opened on Monday 3rd December, over 95% (14,700) of Welsh BPS 2018 claimants have been paid either a BPS 2018 payment or a loan payment. Please see the Welsh Government website for further details.
The Welsh Government has confirmed additional funding will be made available under the Rural Development Programme as follows:- £62.9m for the extension of Glastir Advanced, Commons and Organic contracts to 2021 Additional application round of Glastir Small Grants £16m for the Sustainable Production Grant Continued support under the Farm Business Grant Please see the Welsh Government website for the news release....
The RPA has confirmed that BPS 2018 payments were made to 55,179 claimants (over 65%) on Monday 3rd December. The RPA says it is "on track" to pay at least 90% of claimants by 31st December 2018. Please see GOV.UK for further information.
Following the departure in November of Natural England's CEO, James Cross, an Interim Chief Executive, Marian Spain, has taken over this week. Please see GOV.UK for further information.
The EU Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on the future relationship between the UK and the EU have been approved by the 27 EU leaders at a special meeting of the European Council today (25th November 2018). This now needs to be voted on by the UK Parliament, which is expected to take place in early December 2018.
Prime Minister Theresa May has held a press conference in 10 Downing Street and her statement is available on GOV.UK.
Prime Minister Theresa May has updated the House of Commons on progress with the Brexit negotiations. Please see the GOV.UK website for the Prime Minister's statement.
James Cross has stepped down today from his role as Natural England's Chief Executive and Marian Spain, an existing Natural England Board member, will be taking over as interim Chief Executive "shortly". Further details are given on GOV.UK....
In September, the Welsh Government announced that there would be changes to the valuation of in-calf cattle in Wales for TB compensation. Those changes take effect from today (1st November 2018) and mean that written proof of Pregnancy Diagnosis will now be required when cattle are being valued. Further information is available on the Welsh Government website....
The CAAV is lending its support to the Government's campaign to raise awareness of anti-money laundering requirements for those involved in property sales and purchases. The Flag It Up campaign will help professionals involved in property sales to identify suspicious activity which may be connected to money laundering and to report it to the authorities. Further information can be found in the Government press release:...
Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, is launching a new £60,000 fund today (25th October) to "develop and test pollinator habitat mapping". Funding is also being provided to two projects to create pollinator-friendly landscapes: The Bumblebee Conservation Trust's "West Country Buzz" project in North Devon and The Martin Down farmer "Super Cluster" in Hampshire. Further information is available on GOV.UK....
A Fisheries Bill is to be introduced to Parliament today (25th October). The Bill is to give the UK control of who may fish in UK waters and what terms apply. Further information is available on GOV.UK.
A new pilot Forestry Investment Zone has been launched in Cumbria today. The pilot is to run for two years and "will be used as a test-case for rolling out the initiative more widely around the country". Please see GOV.UK for further information.
The BBC News website is reporting that there has been a case of BSE confirmed on a farm in Aberdeenshire. Further information is also available on the Scottish Government website.
The Government has appointed a Shale Gas Commissioner to provide a link between local communities, the shale gas industry and regulators. Former MP Natascha Engel will take up the new post this week.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has confirmed that it will not renew leases for pheasant shooting rights on land that it manages when they end in March 2018. Further information is available on the NRW website.
It has been confirmed that £3 million funding is being made available for a specialist team under the Catchment Sensitive Farming partnership to help implement the measures set out in the new Code of Good Agricultural Practice (COGAP) for Reducing Ammonia Emissions. Further information is available on GOV.UK....
Press release 12 September 2018 Use BPS time window for change, says CAAV The new Agriculture Bill has fired a starting gun for England’s farmers to manage post-Brexit change, according to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers. Farmers have been awaiting details on what post-Brexit policy and payments will look like – and now they know, they should act, says Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the CAAV. “We have been given a clear timeframe for the complete removal of...
The Agriculture Bill is being introduced into Parliament today and sets out in broad terms how the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) will be replaced in England by an Environmental Land Management system which is to use "public money for public goods" and will begin tests and trials next year (2019) and pilots from 2021. BPS will remain "on the same basis as now" for 2019 and 2020, with simplifications being made where possible. There will then be a 7 year "agricultural transition" period from 2021...
The Home Secretary and Environment Secretary have announced a nationwide, two year pilot to allow fruit and vegetable farmers to employ seasonal workers from outside the EU. 2,500 seasonal workers will be permitted to come into the UK annually. The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme pilot will be run by two operators who will be announced in "due course". They will oversee placement of workers. The pilot is due to start in spring 2019 and will run until 31st December 2020. Further information...
The Secretary of State for the Department for Exiting the European Union, The Rt Hon Dominic Rabb MP, has given an oral statement to Parliament today updating on progress with negotiating a Brexit deal for the UK. The statement can be viewed on GOV.UK....
With only three weeks until the Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier 2018 application deadline, Alice De Soer from the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) gives some pointers for applicants in this week's Farmers Weekly.
The Forestry Commission is urging people to report any suspected sightings of ash dieback by using the 'Tree Alert' system. This follows the discovery of three new species of trees and shrubs which have tested positive for ash dieback at Westonbirt Arboretum. Further details are available on GOV.UK....
On Thursday 2nd August 2018 the Bank of England raised its base rate from 0.5% to 0.75%. This is the first time that the base rate has exceeded 0.5% since March 2009.
With the ongoing hot and dry weather conditions, the Environment Agency has announced arrangements to allow farmers to temporarily trade water allowances as set out in their abstraction licences. Further information is available on GOV.UK.
The Prince's Countryside Fund and Scotland's Rural College have published "Recharging Rural", a report on the views of those living and working in remote rural communities. A key concern of many communities was the need for investment into transport and digital infrastructure to help them become more viable. The report can be downloaded from the Prince's Countryside Fund website....
DEFRA has announced that an additional £45 million funding is to be made available under the Rural Broadband Infrastructure Scheme. Further information is available on GOV.UK.
Two Conservative Party vice-chairs, Maria Caulfield and Ben Bradley, have resigned over Theresa May's Brexit proposals. This follows the resignation of Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Further details are available on the BBC News website.
Following the resignation of Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt has been appointed as the new Foreign Secretary. The new cabinet is meeting at 10 Downing Street this morning. Further information is available on the BBC News website.
Dominic Raab has been appointed Brexit Secretary following the resignation of David Davis.
At the 2018 CAAV Annual Conference and AGM in Edinburgh on 29th June 2018, the new Presidential Team for the coming year was elected. Geoff Coster of Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Association was elected President; Geoff works for the Valuation Office Agency in Shrewsbury and is the first public servant to become President of the CAAV. David Brooks of Essex was elected Senior Vice President and Andrew Thomas of South Wales and Monmouthshire is the new Junior Vice-President.
The EU (Withdrawal) Bill received Royal Assent earlier today and is now an Act of Parliament. Please see GOV.UK for further information.
DEFRA has announced a new £5.7m funding package to assist farmers with cattle herds affected by Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD). The funding is being made available under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) over a three year period. Please see GOV.UK for further details.
The Scottish Government has stated that support under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) will continue into 2019 in plans laid out in its post-Brexit transition consultation. It would be paid at 80% of the current rates. Further information is available on the Scottish Government website.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is to invest £2.6m in projects selected to "help meet the challenges identified under the four themes of reducing the risk from environmental hazards such as flooding and pollution; improving habitat management, biodiversity and connectivity; improving access to the outdoors and using the natural environment to support the economy and develop skills." Examples of the successful bids for this funding are given in NRW's news release....
The Welsh Government has announced that £2.15m funding will be made available from its £50m EU Transition Fund to support the development of the red meat sector in Wales to ensure farmers are "in a better position to trade profitably following Brexit". Please see the Welsh Government website for further details.
Andrew Sells, Natural England's Chair since January 2014, has announced that he will be retiring in January 2019. Further details are available on GOV.UK.
Water companies are being challenged by the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, to invest up to £5 billion in the natural environment from 2020 to 2025 under measures set out by the Environment Agency in the Water Industry Natural Environment Programme (WINEP). Further details are available on GOV.UK.
DEFRA has announced that £5.3m funding is to be made available over five years for four agricultural research centres to "help develop new technologies and environmentally friendly production for farmers and growers across the country". The four research centres that will be undertaking this work are the John Innes Centre, Rothamsted Research, University of Warwick and University of York. Further information is available on GOV.UK....
CAAV members trying to log-in to the Members' Area of the website should note that log-in details used prior to 24th May 2018 will not work following an update to operational aspects of the CAAV website in response to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 'Login' details are now handled automatically within the website and need to be reset if they have not already been since 24th May 2018. Otherwise you will be unable to access the Members' Area of the website. Click on 'Reset...
DEFRA has received over 44,000 reponses to its consultation, 'Health & Harmony' which closed yesterday (Tuesday 8th May). The consultation included proposals for the future for food, farming and the environment post-Brexit. Further details are available in the press release on GOV.UK....
DEFRA has announced that the Countryside Stewardship payment claim deadline is being extended to 15th June 2018. Please see GOV.UK for further details. CAAV members can find further information in the Members' Documents area of this website.