Anglian Water's Farm Innovation Grant - which pays farmers in targeted catchments in that company's region to adopt practices that improve water quality - is to open for applications from 2nd October 2023 until Sunday 12th November. There is a maximum value of £7,500/holding available. For more information, see here: Anglian Water Farming Innovation Grant | Campaigns | News and insights | Ricardo....
DEFRA is hosting a Grants and Funding for Farmers webinar on 10th October at 14:05PM. This webinar for advisors provides an overview of the latest and upcoming grants available to farmers through the Farming Investment Fund, the Farming Innovation Programme and the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. The agenda will cover: An overview of the three schemes and information on the following grants in particular: Farming Investment Funds for Slurry Infrastructure and Improving Farm...
This note looks at a technical issue related to the Sustainable Farming Incentive. For context and general guidance on the scheme, see the SFI Handbook 2023. Several members have contacted us about issues applying the SFI Action IPM4 (No use of insecticide on arable crops and permanent crops) to a land parcel where they also intend to carry out a compatible part-parcel action (IPM2; AHL1; AHL4). IPM4 with a whole-parcel action. Those applying IPM4 to the parcel first will find that they are...
Harper Adams University Experience Day – 1st November 2023 As part of work to inform and encourage prospective recruits to the profession, Harper Adams is holding a day for 14 to 19 year olds to understand something of its land and property management courses and so professional work. Any member who knows someone who could be interested in this is asked to pass these details on so that they can book a place in good time. The Experience Day, free of charge, includes: Introductions...
The next round of Natural England's Nutrient Mitigation Scheme is to open at 10am on 2 October 2023. More information about the scheme, which is available to housing developers in the Tees Catchment Area, is available in a website note from July 2022. Credits for this round are priced at £2,300....
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 28th September 2023 Permitted development rights can be seen as one means to save the over-stretched and under resourced planning system from itself, a safety valve allowing investment in and change for the future. A member has recently had to make a full planning application for two environmental ponds, one 3m by 3m and the other 5m by 8m, in an AONB that, among other things, required a dark skies assessment, a relative...
The Welsh Government has now announced the payment rates for the Habitat Wales Scheme: Habitat Wales Scheme: outline [HTML] | GOV.WALES. For more background on the scheme, see our website note of 31st August.
Homes England has published a Housing Information Hub, collecting up a series of guidance pages into one place. The Hub can be found here: Housing Information Hub - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
In his speech on 20th September setting out changes to net zero targets, the Prime Minister announced that grants made for the installation of heat pumps would be increased. The Secretary of State has issued a notice under Regulation 13 of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 that the grant will be increased from £5,000 for air source heat pumps and £6,000 for ground source heat pumps to £7,500 for both types of heat pump. The increase will become effective from 23rd...
The Government has broadened the eligibility criteria for the Animal Health and Welfare Review (for background, see our website note of 7th February). Farmers who have not receive BPS in the past - as well as those who have or expect to receive the Lump Sum Exit Scheme payment - are now also able to apply for funding for a vet visit and welfare report. More information on applying is available on GOV.UK: Guidance for farmers - Annual health and welfare review of livestock (defra.gov.uk)....
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 22nd September 2023What a moment to be starting on a professional career as an agricultural valuer. Having spoken this week to the new entry at the RAU and soon to speak at Harper Adams, students are starting their courses leading to the profession. Across the country, people are starting their first employment and their practical training. Both groups start at this fascinating time when so much is now open for change and all...
Applications are now open for the Farm Innovations Programme Feasibility Studies. Applications for this competition should be at an early stage of research and development, with the grants to support projects through testing to see if a research idea works in practice and if it is worth further investment. The total cost of the project must be between £200,000 and £500,000 and last up to 24 months. More information is available in our website note of 2nd August....
The Sustainable Farming Incentive opened for applications on the 18th September. DEFRA are undertaking a 'controlled' roll-out of the SFI, with the scheme gradually opened to more land managers. For more detail, see the SFI Handbook, our website notes of 21st June and 29th August, as well as a recent CAAV podcast. In conjunction with the opening of the SFI applications, DEFRA has updated some of the relevant guidance pages on the GOV.UK website. This includes the publication of a range of...
In an announcement today (Friday 15th September), DEFRA has confirmed that those with an open CS Mid Tier application, or those who have submitted an RLE1 form with the intention to apply, will have additional time to complete their application beyond the 15th September deadline. Some may be aware of ongoing tech issues with the CS application portal, meaning that some have been unable to complete and submit open applications. Those in this position should contact the RPA by email, including...
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 15th September 2023 The end of September brings Michaelmas, for perhaps half the tenancies in England and Wales a key point, whether for rent review or termination. Its longstanding place in the agricultural calendar is shown by the persistence of the old Michaelmas date of 10th October with continuity from before the UK changed its calendar in 1752, alongside new Michaelmas on 29th September. Tenancies will start and...
The Department for Communities has announced consultations on two sets of technical regulations that are proposed to be made under the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Act 2022. One set of regulations would introduce requirements for the provision of smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms in private rented properties in Northern Ireland, including draft regulations and how to respond are provided. A second set of regulations would introduce five-yearly electrical safety inspections in...
Natural Resources Wales has published the dates for engagement events about the creation of a new National Park, based on the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB. More background to the designation is available in our website note of 6th June. Those working within the identified area are encouraged to participate in the designation process. More information is available on the NRW website....
Many will be aware that the roll-out of the Sustainable Farming Incentive in 2023 was delayed; the scheme now opens on a staged basis from 18th September (for more information, see our website note of 29th August). Responding to concerns about cash-flow due to the delayed roll-out, on 13th September DEFRA committed to distributing accelerated payments for those who enter into the scheme this year. Those with a live SFI agreement before the end of 2023 will receive their first quarterly payment...
The CAAV has been made aware that some Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier applicants have seen land misidentified within the Rural Payments Service portal as being above the moorland line, therefore restricting which CS options are available for their application. Those who believe that this is the case should first check the extent of the moorland line on the Magic Map, as this is amended from time to time. Where there is a mismatch between what is shown on the Magic map and what is available...
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 7th September 2023 Water supply is steadily becoming a critical issue in the United Kingdom with agriculture needing to look ahead and ensure both access to water and making the best use of it. Only last year, four Sussex councils were proposing water neutrality policies for housing development – that no more use should be made of water once houses are built than before – while, earlier this year, South East Water...
Applications have now opened for the Calf Housing for Health and Welfare 2023 grant. For more detail on the grant, see our website note of 27th July.
The payment rate for the Countryside Stewardship option top fruit organic conversion (OR5) is being increased from £1,254 per ha for up to 3 years, to £1,920 per ha for up to 3 years.
We have published this guidance to using the CAAV’s Facilitating Dispute Resolution service, supported by this podcast. The CAAV President has statutory status for the appointment of arbitrators to agricultural tenancy disputes under the 1986 and 1995 Acts on unilateral request. However, the CAAV service goes much wider than that, appointing arbitrators, experts and mediators for all rural disputes across the United Kingdom. We start by urging good and effective negotiation to avoid the...
We have received the following update from the RPA: Customers intending to apply for CS Mid-Tier online (closing date 15 September 2023) will need to submit land changes no later than 5 Sep 2023. Please advise your members that we can prioritise emails if they include the subject heading ‘CS application RLE1 land change’ and their SBI.
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 31st August 2023 We have yet to see what the true effect of the Government’s proposed changes to nutrient neutrality might be. The combined package of legislative amendments (yet to pass the House of Lords), measures and funding is intended to achieve both the unlocking of house building and improved quality of water courses. That package represents a move from a single tool, requiring nutrient neutrality only from...
Members will be aware that farmers and land managers have been invited to register their interest in applying early for the SFI 2023 as part of the controlled rollout of the scheme. Submitting the Expression of Interest form when invited to do so will enable eligible applicants to access the scheme as it is opened. The speed of the controlled rollout will then be assessed to prevent backlogs and delays. Once applicants have registered their interest, they are advised to review the scheme...
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 24th August 2023 Harvest can be a time for taking stock – perhaps especially with this year returning to a more catchy form after last year, with better weather grabbed when possible but with challenges in drying costs, quality and prices. More have had old crop in store and any national surplus faces export markets. For many, tax payments on the 2022 harvest year will be due in January. But it marks the completion of a...
DEFRA has announced that from 23rd August, the ban on gatherings of Galliforme poultry and birds has been lifted. Galliforme birds include chickens, turkeys, pheasants, partridge and quail. The ban has only been lifted in England and Galliforme birds and poultry from Wales and Scotland are not allowed to attend bird gatherings in England. Gatherings are subject to the APHA poultry gathering general licence and giving APHA seven days notice of the event. They are not permitted in disease control...
The Welsh Government has published a study by consultants ADAS reviewing the impact of solar PV sites on soils and land quality. The study reports includes a literature review and background material. It finds that the main impact is from soil compaction during construction and, implicitly, decommissioning, measured in terms of potential changes to the Agricultural Land Classification. It also finds that there remain many gaps in the evidence, knowledge and experience....
Northern Ireland: Farmers and advisers in West County Armagh, South Tyrone or all of Fermanagh are reminded to register for Zone 2 of DAERA’s Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS). The deadline to do so is 31 August 2023. More detail on the SNHS is available in our website note of 23rd June 2023....
The Farming & Countryside Programme team at DEFRA is holding a webinar for farmers to find out about the payments available in England. The webinar will take place on 6th September, between 11:30am and 12:30pm. More detail, and booking, is available here: Defra funding for farmers webinar Tickets, Wed 6 Sep 2023 at 11:30 | Eventbrite....
DEFRA has recently launched a campaign to recruit a new cohort of members for the Independent Agricultural Appeal Panel. As you know, the panel is an important part of the process in considering cases of dissatisfaction relating to policy. Details of the application process can be found via the link below: Role details – Independent Agricultural Appeals Panel members – Apply for a public appointment – GOV.UK (apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk)...
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 17th August 2023 News of planning permission for a prawn farm in Crowland, Lincolnshire draws attention to high investment agricultural projects in a number of UK farming sectors where the business, rather than the property, will be the driver of value. This is still agriculture, further testing farming’s spectrum from food production to land management. According to the proposition, agricultural planning rights may be...
The Rural Payments Service will be unavailable due to maintenance between 5pm on Wednesday (16th) and 9am on Thursday. We have been informed by the RPA that this 'is a full system release with critical items in it, including urgent fixes for MT Online'. Members will be aware of some ongoing issues with CS Mid-Tier applications. The CAAV has been told by the RPA that no one will be disadvantaged by a technical error. Those experiencing issues are advised to: Read through the CS application...
Natural England have updated their guidance on stacking payments for Biodiversity Net Gain, Nutrient Neutrality in England. The update provides more information on using the same land for BNG and/or NN and government agri-environment schemes. The guidance can be found here: Combining environmental payments: biodiversity net gain (BNG) and nutrient mitigation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)....
DEFRA opened Round 3 of the Small Research and Development (R&D) Partnerships on 14th August. Our website note of 2nd August contains more detail....
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 11th August 2023 A recent international survey by the insurance broker, Gallaher, found UK businesses curiously passive in preparing for climate change. 48 per cent said it had already harmed them, with a mix of the direct impact of extreme weather, higher operating costs and disrupted supply chains. However, 53 per cent had then taken no action, thinking it the government’s task to ensure that businesses prepared –...
DEFRA has today (10th August) published the following in relation to the SFI 2023 offer: the voluntary ‘How to do the SFI actions’ guidance some minor updates to the SFI handbook, and a summary of what’s been updated
Janet Hughes, Farming and Countryside Programme Director, and Jonathan Marsden, Head of Standards for SFI, are holding a webinar on SFI 2023 on this Thursday afternoon, 10th August at 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm. Their aim is to provide an opportunity for advisers to ask questions about the actions and guidance in the SFI 2023 Handbook before applications open. This is the registration link for this Advisers webinar. Intended for advisers only, this event precedes possible later, more sector specific...
This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 3rd August 2023 “Wish upon a star.” It might work in Disney films but it is no basis for engaging with reality to answer the many large challenges we face. These require focused thought, effective mechanisms, planning and logistics and sustained attention with leadership giving explanation, not magical thinking. An immediate illustration of grand aspiration meeting reality lies in HS2. The Infrastructure and Projects...