News

The CAAV office will close for Christmas at 1 p.m. on Thursday 21st December 2017 and re-opens on Tuesday 2nd January 2018. Happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

Due to adverse weather conditions it is understood that many people are unable to attend the conference today. The conference is still going ahead as planned.

Christine Middlemiss has been appointed as the new UK Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO). She will take over the role from Nigel Gibbens who will step down at the end of February 2018. Please see GOV.UK for further information.

There are still a few spaces left at this year's MCAVA Crick Conference this Thursday 16th at the Holiday Inn, Crick, Northamptonshire. On top of the splendid line-up we have already announced do not miss out on the chance to hear Sean Rickard of Cranfield University take on our very own MCAVA member James Fulton in the annual Crick Debate with the updated notion “Regaining control of agricultural policy is the best thing to hit it since the Agriculture Act 1947” Please contact Jennifer...

The Bank of England has increased the Bank Rate to 0.5%. This is the first increase since 2007. Further details can be found on the Bank of England website.

Congratulations to CAAV member Andrew Jenkinson of Robinson & Hall in Bedford, who has won the Farmers Weekly Farm Adviser of the Year Award 2017! http://www.fwi.co.uk/business/fw-awards2017-farm-adviser-year.htm

The CAAV office will be affected by a scheduled power cut on Thursday 7th September whilst works are carried out to the power supply at the site. This will affect the telephone system and computer servers so we will be unable to deal with calls and emails between 9.30am and 2.30pm. We apologise for any inconvenience and ask callers to delay contacting us until later in the afternoon.

DEFRA has confirmed that £200 million will be made available for schemes under the Rural Development Programme. The funding will be delivered via the Growth Programme and the Countryside Productivity Scheme and will be broken down as follows:- - £30m to improve rural broadband - £45m to help rural businesses grow and invest in new equipment; and - £120m for projects that improve farm productivity The first round of applications should open from today for funding towards reservoirs and...

The CAAV's Secretary and Adviser, Jeremy Moody, has issued warnings about the potential impacts of the Compulsory Purchase of land during this morning's (27th July) broadcast of 'Farming Today' on BBC Radio 4. To hear his interview, please go to the BBC Farming Today webpage (his interview starts at 10 minutes, 15 seconds).

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, sets out his vision for the delivery of a "Green Brexit" in a speech to WWF UK today. His speech is available on the GOV.UK website and lays out his ambition in terms of future agricultural policy and support payments following the UK's departure from the EU.

DEFRA has confirmed today that Paul Caldwell, who has been acting as the RPA's Interim CEO since earlier this year, has taken the role on permanently. Please see the GOV.UK website for further details.

The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP has been appointed today as the new Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs following the Cabinet reshuffle. Further details can be found on the GOV.UK website.

The CAAV is holding a conference on Business Rates for Agricultural Valuers on 14th June 2017 at the Arden Hotel, Solihull. Full details and a booking form are available in the Events section of the CAAV website.

MPs voted this afternoon on Prime Minister Theresa May's motion for a general election to be held on 8th June 2017. It has been approved by 522 votes to 13, so will go ahead.

Prime Minister Theresa May will move a motion in the House of Commons tomorrow (19th April) calling for a general election on 8th June 2017. Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, any decision to call a general election must be voted on by the House of Commons. To go ahead, it will require a two-thirds majority vote. Prime Minister Theresa May's full statement can be viewed on the BBC website.

Prime Minister, Theresa May, has triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty earlier today which starts the formal negotiation process for Brexit. She made a statement to the House of Commons which can be viewed on the Parliament UK website.