Jeremy's Blog 25th August 2023: CAAV's Autumn Programme - Preparing for Change
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 farming year and, with autumn establishment, the start of the first cropping cycle after the end of area payments in England. The new Welsh Act paves the way for Basic Payment to be phased out for 2025, Scotland’s legislation is expected this winter and Northern Ireland has already outlined the broad timings for BPS’s replacement by 2026.
Looking ahead, the CAAV’s autumn programme aims to prepare members for the developing work and managing the coming change.
The Young Valuers Conference on 8th September at Warwick University (see details below) follows last year’s very successful first post-Covid event. DEFRA’s Janet Hughes will review its developing schemes and Jeremy Moody will look ahead at challenges and work. Senior officers will discuss the CAAV’s work with younger members, seeking views. The afternoon visit to the Packington Estate is followed by the dinner.
The National Tutorial is delivered by Michelmores in Cheltenham on 21st September.
As the new policy frameworks drive changes in farming businesses, so more matters will need to be revised with negotiations and possible disputes. The Facilitating Dispute Resolution training day on 26th
September at the Crowne Plaza by the NEC is to look directly at these issues with their work for members, not only in advising clients and in good negotiations to achieve positive outcomes but, as necessary, acting in disputes, whether to be settled by arbitration, expert determination or mediation. Other roles include early neutral evaluation (again helping avoid disputes) and as expert witnesses. The purpose is to have practical answers – the processes are the means to be chosen and tailored to do this. The guide, Using the CAAV’s Dispute Resolution Service, is being published with the September News Letter.
Members Briefings are being held in Harrogate (12th October) and Wyboston (near Huntingdon – 18th October). These have been held over from the spring so as to be topical.
After the examinations, the joint Burges Salmon/CAAV Conference is on 5thDecember, again at the Crowne Plaza, NEC.
Clients will face issues from business review to adaptation to climate change, renewable energy to farm structures. Reviewed overall, this is management of change as we confront the challenges of improving productivity and enhancing resilience. England ending entitlements can be seen as symbolic as well as real – businesses are to thrive on their own merits and cannot rely on any entitlement to survive. The valuer’s task in advising, guiding, acting and achieving outcomes will be critical. This autumn’s CAAV programme is offered to support that.