The Environment Agency has announced that it is holding free Water Framework Directive workshops in Glamorgan on 1st June, Abergele on 10th June and Ceredigion on 11th June. Further details are available on the Environment Agency website.
FC Wales has announced grants for work to control the possible spread of Phytophthora around urban areas in south Wales and the Conwy Valley in northwest Wales. Phytophthora is believed to be responsible for Sudden Oak Death. Further details are available on the Forestry Commission website.
The Commission for Rural Communities have launched a new rural proofing toolkit to help Government departments to ensure that their policies recognise the particular issues faced by rural communities. For further details, see the CRC website.
The Valuation Office website is reporting an e-mail scam. They have reports that e-mails or letters have been received requesting funds for a 'clean report of findings' so that monies can be released. The VOA website confirms that any such correspondence is not from VOA and should be ignored. The full press release can be read on the VOA website.
DEFRA has announced that it is offering a 50% discount on its remaining stocks of Bluetongue vaccine with effect from today (7th May). Further information is available on the DEFRA website. WAG have now also confirmed that they are offering the same 50% discount on remaining Bluetongue vaccine stocks in Wales....
Natural England (NE) are to look again at possible extensions to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. This work had been stopped in the light of legal aspects being considered as part of the South Downs National Park Public Inquiry however following the Inspector's findings in this Inquiry with regard to Natural England's approach to designation, NE have re-commenced this work in the north west. Further information is available on the NE website....
From today (5th May), all members of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) will have to be licensed under the ARLA Licensing Scheme as part of their membership. This Scheme has been introduced to reduce bad practices seen within the residential letting sector. Further information is available on the ARLA website.
Following the launch of the CAP Payments website last year, DEFRA has now added Single Payment Scheme (SPS) payments data for the period 16th October 2007 to 15th October 2008. It should be noted that where there may have been an overpayment made during that period, the data shown is likely to include this overpayment and we understand from DEFRA that this data will not be updated. Further information is available on the RPA website....
Hilary Benn, Environment Secretary, has announced an increase in the level of grants available under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) for farmers wishing to diversify into no-agricultural businesses and start up or expand small rural businesses. Rural Development Agencies will be allowed to raise the level funding granted for such projects from 50% to 100%. DEFRA is now seeking approval for the proposals from the European Commission in order that these changes can be...
The RPA have published their latest figures on 2008 SPS payments. As at 30th April 2009, £1.55 billion of payments had been made, which is 95.23% of the total fund. Payments had been made to over 102,000 claimants, amounting to 96% of the total. The full press release can be read at the RPA website.
DEFRA has confirmed that there is no evidence of swine influenza being present in UK pigs. For further information, please view the News Release on DEFRA's website.
The RPA has started to make full HFA 2009 payments to claimants. HFA 2010 explanatory guidance booklets have also started to be sent out. Further information is available on the RPA website.
The NFU has today announced that they are going to support David Partridge in seeking leave to appeal to the House of Lords following the Court of Appeal decision allowing DEFRA's appeal earlier this month regarding the use of average table values when paying compensation for cattle affected by bovine TB. Further information is available on the NFU website.
The Chancellor has announced a funding package worth £600 million to kick start house building. A more detailed Budget Briefing will follow.
Fuel duty will increase by 2p per litre on 1st September, teh Chancellor has announced in the Budget. A more detailed Budget Briefing will follow.
The Chancellor has announced that the VAT cut to 15% will remain until December 2009. The Stamp Duty Land Tax holiday for houses under £175,000 is extended to the end of the year. A more detailed Budget Briefing will follow.
The NFU and CLA have launched their proposal for an alternative voluntary approach to set aside mitigation, branded the Campaign for the Farmed Environment. The full press releases can be found on the NFU website and the CLA website.
RPA have announced that it is carrying out a systems upgrade on Friday 24th April. The Customer Service Centre will not be able to access detailed customer records on Friday 24th, but will still deal with general scheme queries. The detailed records will be available again on Monday 27th April.
RASE have announced that the 2009 Royal Show will be the last ever. The event is to be scrapped following several years of falling attendance and increasing competition from other events. The RASE's full press release can be read on their website.
The RPA is to publish CAP payment details for payments made between 16th October 2007 and 15th October 2008 on a website. The information, which is published in keeping with requirements of EC legislation, will include the trading name, the amount, the local town and first part of the postcode. The website is www.cap-payments.defra.gov.uk and it will go live on 30th April 2009. For the full press release, go to the RPA website....