DEFRA has today launched a package of measures to support farmers in the uplands as part of their Uplands Policy Review. Further information is available in Members' Documents, Grants and Regulations, Uplands Support.
DECC has unveiled its plans for a Renewable Heat Incentive, with payments to support biomass boilers; ground and water source heat pumps; and geothermal, solar thermal and biogas systems. The full system of payments will be available to households from October 2012. Further details will be posted in the Members' Documents section of the website soon.
A CAAV Spring Briefing is being held on 16th March near Newark. This is a full day briefing for CAAV members which will cover a range of topics and emerging issues including:- Renewables and Telecoms CAP reform post 2013 Single Payment Scheme, inc 2011 claims, SPS Online Environmental Stewardship Further information and booking form can be found in the Events section of this website....
The RPA has begun making payments for the Uplands Transitional Payment scheme which was applied for on the 2010 SP5 form. Further information is available on the RPA website.
Brownyn Hill is to be the new Permanent Secretary for DEFRA with effect from 28th March 2011. She will take over from Peter Unwin who has been acting Permanent Secretary. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.
The Welsh Assembly Government has made 95% of Tir Mynydd 2011 payments as of yesterday (1st March). Further information, including confirmation of the rates, is available on the Welsh Assembly Goverment website.
A consultation has been launched on proposals for a High Speed Rail Link between London and Birmingham. The new consultation website contains all the documents and the consultation closes on 29th July 2011.
The sales of Forestry Commission property in England which were announced as part of the Spending Review have been suspended pending a review of the criteria used to select sites for sale. This is unconnected to the ongoing consultation about the future of the remainder of the Forestry Commission estate which is open until 21st April 2011. Further information about this suspension is available on the DEFRA website....
Jane Davidson, Wales' Environment Minister, has announced £2 million funding to support improvements to the planning service in Wales. She has also announced changes to the way in which the funding is allocated with planning authorities applying for a share of £1.75 million and a further £250,000 being spent on improvements to the service including the development of an online planning portal. Further information is available on the Welsh Assembly Government website....
The Treasury has announced funding of £10 million to roll out superfast broadband in north Wales. Further information is available on the Treasury website.
Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has announced that a review of Feed-in Tariffs will begin today. Rates for large scale solar schemes will be under particular scrutiny. Further information is available in the Members Documents section.
Professor David Hill has been appointed as the new Deputy Chair of Natural England, as post that has been vacant since December 2009 when Poul Christensen, the previous Deputy Chair, was appointed Chair. The appointment will run until 30th September 2012. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.
The recently published monthly TB stats have shown a decrease in the number of cattle slaughtered relating to bovine TB in 2010 with 6,587 slaughtered in the period January to October 2010 compared with 9,146 during the same period in 2009. Wales' Rural Affairs Minister has welcomed this improvement and further information is available on the Welsh Assembly Government website....
The devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have written to DEFRA setting out their views in terms of the forthcoming negotiations for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post 2013. Further information is available on the Welsh Assembly Government website.
Elin Jones has made a statement to the National Assembly for Wales laying down her views with regard to the proposals made available thus far relating to the reform of Common Agricultural Policy post 2013. Further information is available on the Welsh Assembly Government website.
It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing away of Graham Martyn yesterday. In addition to his practice, he had devoted much time to the profession and the CAAV having been national President in 2007-8 and previously Chairman of the CAAV Livestock and Auctions Committee. We send our sincere condolences to his family.
DEFRA has confirmed that H1N1 has been found in turkeys on a Cheshire farm. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.
This one-day conference has been organised bythe Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) and the South Wales Society of Chartered Accountants and is essential for all rural economy practitioners and advisers. Please go to the events section of the website for further information and booking form.
Caroline Spelman, Environment Secretary, has today delivered a speech at the Oxford Farming Conference including comments about the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which will take effect from 2014, the fact that she believes that farmers in Europe should become less reliant on subsidies and that the new CAP should look "fundamentally different". Further information about her speech relating to the new CAP can be found on the DEFRA website. Her complete speech at the OFC is also available on...
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has met its first target for Single Payment Scheme 2010 payments of making payments to 85% of eligible claimants by 31st December 2010. Further information is available on the RPA website.