News

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 10th July 2024 We have crossed a threshold, now no longer in an election campaign nor the long shadow cast ahead of it. A large majority is taking office and beginning to find the difficulties of government. We welcome Steve Reed and Daniel Zeichner to their new roles in DEFRA and wish them well. Although Labour won describing the last government in terms of chaos, it is a moment to note some of what was put in place that now...

Two further junior ministers have been appointed to DEFRA to join the Secretary of State, Steve Reed, and Minister of State, Daniel Zeichner: Emma Hardy, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and MP for Kingston on Hull West and Haltemprice Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Lords

Natural England have published details on how to apply for Nutrient Mitigation Credits for any housing development in the Poole Harbour Catchment area. The details set out who it eligible, how to calculate how many credits are required, the allocation and prioritisation of credits and how to apply for the Nutrient Mitigation Credits from Natural England. The first round of applications opens at 10am on 31st July 2024 and closes at 11:55pm on 27th August 2024. Full details can be found on the...

Steve Reed was appointed as Secretary of State on Friday and, as of this morning (Monday 8th July), has Daniel Zeichner as Minister of State in DEFRA. Both held the equivalent shadow posts in opposition. Further appointments are expected soon.

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 4th July 2024 This last day of the 2024 general election allows a moment of wider reflection before the business of the new government takes attention. Speaking to the CAAV National Conference last Friday, Jack Bobo, Director of Nottingham University's Food Systems Institute, saw the next 25 years as the most important 25 years in the global history of agriculture, the period until the still growing world population starts...

The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare grant is available to add a veranda onto, or to upgrade or replace existing laying hen or pullet housing (for units over 1,000 birds) to improve animal health and welfare. The grant is up to 40%, between £15,000 and £500,000 per applicant business. The online checker can be used to make an initial online application. The online checker will close at 11:59pm on 18th September 2024....

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 27th June 2024 We really have to be careful what laws we write if we are not to be surprised by their effects.Here (and indeed in the USA), a surprising judgment sees the courts get attention when they have merely pointed out what the law says. In Finch v Surrey County Council, the Supreme Court has upheld, by 3 to 2, a judicial review of a 2019 permission for an oil well in Surrey because it had read Regulation 4(2) of the...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 20th June 2024 A governing party’s manifesto is taken more seriously than many might suppose. The civil service will be poring over it to establish the new policy directions, No 10 conventionally checks off the pledges as progress is made and the House of Lords defers to Bills for manifesto commitments. The political debate of an election campaign then dramatises points, advancing or avoiding proposals and being...

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill has completed its Stages in the Scottish Parliament on 18th June and now awaits Royal Assent. As framework legislation, the practical detail for schemes is to come at some point in the Rural Support Plan.

We are aware that some members have been receiving scam emails purporting to be from the CAAV offering either: A list of over 1,500 adding the AGM or A members list. They appear to be using publicly available addresses and, with a style echoing marketing agencies circulars, these are not from the CAAV. If you receive one of these scam emails, please delete it.

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 23rd May 2024 So, the election has been triggered, precipitately resetting the cycle of government at a time of much unfinished practical business. While a new Parliament can, with time, change decided law, all outstanding policy decisions, as for DEFRA’s Higher Tier Scheme, are now for the new government once in place and briefed – and capable of going down different roads. As Parliament rises by Thursday, almost all...

DEFRA is hosting a webinar on Wednesday 29 May at 11am to go through the guidance, actions and detail for the expanded SFI offer. Those wishing to join can register here: Webinar Registration - Zoom.

The Welsh Government Small Grants - Yard Coverings scheme is now open for applications. Guidance notes on the scheme, booklet, and how to use RPW Online to apply are available.

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 16th May 2024 The fruit and vegetable sector is a strong contributor to the value of UK agricultural output. It has been under severe economic pressure as costs, risks and necessary working capital have risen well ahead of produce returns. Weather and labour add to the challenges. Production volumes, areas and confidence have all fallen. It is clearly magical thinking to suggest that saying the British public ought to eat...

As many will be aware, the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive in England will be opening this summer. The RPA will be offering a controlled rollout of the scheme to a limited number of people before the scheme opens to all applicants. This small number will be able to apply for the scheme early so that the RPA can open the service in a controlled way. They will also be asking these early applicants about their experience of submitting an application, so that they can improve the service in...

Many will be aware that there are significant delays in the creation and submission of annual claims for Countryside Stewardship. The RPA is encouraging agreement holders to continue to with their claims. They have advised us that: 'We will make sure that those affected are not disadvantaged. We will keep a record that the system performance has affected their ability to claim and they won’t receive any late claim reductions if we receive their claim after 15 May because of this.' Those...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 9th May 2024 Land drainage and the management of water offer one of the ways to tell the story of our landscapes as millennia of hard work have made a wet land productive. Even now, for many soils having good field drainage is the precondition for land to give its potential – becoming more important with the spread of no-till practices. With 40 years since the last major wave of drainage investment, this winter has shown...

Those preparing to submit a claim for CS or ES in 2024 are reminded that the land use codes for the relevant parcels should be updated where there have been changes.

Recognising the prolonged period of wet weather, an Extreme Weather Summit meeting was held resulting in Welsh Government highlighting the importance of investing in resilience. In response to concerns over slurry storage capacity the Welsh Government has announced there will be two schemes which specifically support investment in on farm infrastructure, these are: the Nutrient Management Investment Scheme andthe Small Grants – Yard Coverings scheme. Both schemes are to open shortly and £20m...

Following CAAV representations, the RPA has now postposed the planned downtime for the system from 13th May to 16th May. That planned for the evening of 15th May still appears to be going ahead.

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 25th April 2024 Targets are everywhere in modern government. In principle, they can set a discipline to achieve results, measured and monitored for management. Sometimes, so many are set that they confuse or even counter each other; some are badly set with perverse results. Some targets seem set just as a gesture, with magical thinking that a target is an answer not then needing action, role playing in response to pressure...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 18th April 2024 We are almost always in the middle of a story. The past is not over but rather a prologue. The future is yet to come, evolving from now but with surprises. There is rarely a conclusion, though sometimes hindsight suggests a move to the next Act. The present is simply a waystation, not an answer. More than for some time, we are living amid accelerated change and disruption, perhaps familiar with what we have...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 12th April 2024 The Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England was published on Monday. It is a voluntary Code for all parties to tenancies (that is, landlords and tenants) and their advisers, giving guidance as to approach, conduct and behaviour. It looks to support good relationships and help where difficulties arise. Intended to improve practice, it does not change the law or alter any contract and...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 4th April 2024 Keir Starmer’s Labour Party (like the Conservatives in Canada) clearly feels it is working a rich electoral vein in positioning itself as the advocate for more housing, while other parties carve up the opponents between them. Following his references in the autumn to “bulldozing” the planning system for England, the document issued for the launch of its local election campaign suggest that...