News

The Scottish Government has confirmed that Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payments are underway. Around 11,000 eligible claimants should receive payment over the "coming weeks". Please see the Scottish Government website for further information.

The RPA has confirmed that bridging payments in relation to BPS 2018 payments and CS 2018 advance payments should begin to arrive in bank accounts from Friday 12th April 2019. These bridging payments should be made to claimants who have not been paid by 31st March 2019 and should be 75% of the estimated claim value held on the system at the point in time that the payment is made. Please see GOV.UK for further details....

Prime Minister Theresa May has written to the European Council President, Donald Tusk, to request an extension to the Article 50 period which is currently due to end at 11 p.m. on 29th March 2019. The UK is seeking an extension until 30th June 2019. A copy of the Prime Minister's letter is available on GOV.UK.

The first tranche of BPS 2018, greening and young farmer payments have begun to be made to Scottish claimants. These payments will be offset by the recovery of BPS 2018 loans where claimants chose to take up that option. Please see the Scottish Government website for further details.

MPs have voted again this evening (13th March) and by a small majority (312 to 308) have rejected leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement. Further information is available on the BBC News website.

With the BPS 2019 application window opening today in England, CAAV Policy Adviser, Alice De Soer, gives some tips about applying in this week's Farmers Weekly in the attached article.

Wales' Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, has confirmed that further bidding for projects under the Glastir Woodland Creation and Restoration schemes will open on 1st April 2019. Further information can be found on the Welsh Government website.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, has presented his Spring Statement to the House of Commons. A Written Ministerial Statement is available on GOV.UK together with a summary of what was presented.

With the opening of the BPS 2019 application window today (13th March), as well Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship annual revenue claim window, farmers are being encouraged to submit applications and claims as early as possible before 15th May 2019 deadline. Please see GOV.UK a press release....

Tony Juniper has been confirmed as Natural England's chair. He will take up the role from 23rd April 2019. Further information is available on GOV.UK.

MPs have voted against the revised EU Withdrawal Agreement this evening by 391 to 242. Further information is available on the BBC News webpage. The Prime Minister's statement to the House of Commons can be found on GOV.UK....

The Government has issued a statement that political agreement has been reached on the draft EU withdrawal agreement, which has been laid before Parliament last night (11th March) in readiness for this evening's vote. The European Commission has also released a statement. There are two further documents relating to the withdrawal agreement that have not been included in the documents laid before Parliament which are available on GOV.UK:- - 'Instrument relating to the Agreement on the...

The seasonal workers pilot has opened and will run until the end of December 2020, when it will be reviewed. Concordia and Pro-Force have been licensed to manage the pilot and will match suitable workers to UK farmers. The pilot will allow up to 2,500 seasonal workers to be employed by fruit and vegetable farmers for up to 6 months. Please see GOV.UK for further information....

Following the resignation last week of the Farming Minister, George Eustice, Robert Goodwill has been appointed as the new Farming Minister. Please see GOV.UK for further information.

The full transcript of the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove's, speech delivered to the NFU Conference yesterday is available on GOV.UK. In the speech, he stated that: "We have to do better in the delivery of countryside and environmental stewardship payments. They are still in a mess, the consequence partly of historic IT procurement decisions and the split responsibility for scheme administration between Natural England and the RPA, which led to inefficiency and confusion." He also...

With the application window opening earlier this week for key elements of Countryside Stewardship, Alice De Soer (Policy and Technical Adviser at the CAAV) gives tips for farmers and land managers considering applying this year in this article on the Farmers Weekly website.

Northern Ireland's Department for Communities has published the 3rd report under the Protocol for the Care of the Government Historic Estate, which sets out case studies for the conservation of historic buildings and other assets, and their future use and management. The report can be downloaded from the Department for Communities website.

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.

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....