News

The CAAV has published a new paper, Future Rural Land Uses in the UK, reviewing the pressures and opportunities for rural land.

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 8th April 2021. Despite the late spring, the pace of policy change here is quickening and that will see change on the ground. We should shortly have DEFRA’s consultation on the lump sum option and delinking of Basic Payment in England. Whether or not the lump sum option for 2022 proves attractive, simply considering it draws attention to how little life is left for English Basic Payment entitlements. Entitlement...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 1st April 2021. In a sector of family businesses, a quarter or more of farms and estates might see generational change in any decade. Some may take longer, as where the business has no natural successor; others will come faster, whether by chance or necessity. This is likely to accelerate in the 2020s as the pressures for change intensify, often in circumstances requiring careful advice, personal support and good management....

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 25th March 2021. Three recent decisions on utilities regulation are intended to enable more investment by them, resulting in more work on clients’ land. Since their privatisation, the main utility companies, with their access to the consumer’s doorstep, have been closely regulated. Concerns about affordability and hostile press coverage has put a public focus on regulating the prices charged for water, gas, electricity...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 11th March 2021. Barely two months after the EU Transition Period, the pace of post-EU policy development is sustained, especially in England and perhaps particularly with DEFRA. Without the 28 state, 3 institution haggling of the EU (the post-2020 CAP is still unresolved), George Eustice saw Brexit as the opportunity to do domestic policy better while some in Government already see the urgency imposed by a 2024 election....

Charles Cowap is delivering a 5-part training course with Ecosystems Knowledge Network on Applying a Natural Capital Approach. The course starts on April 19th and runs over five 90 minute sessions. Details are available on the EKN website.

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 4th March 2021. Yesterday’s Budget heralds two years in which companies will be paid to invest in plant and machinery. An investment that would now have an 18 per cent capital allowance against tax will from next month have a 130 per cent capital allowance (the “super deduction”) and those that would get a 6 per cent allowance will be allowed at 50 per cent. A lack of business investment has been seen as a key part...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 25th February 2021. Do we know what it means for a landowner to enter into an agreement for carbon sequestration? What are the implications of “selling” carbon for the land and its users? Are we at risk of uncritical assumptions that: this is a significant source of value for an average landowner?that, being associated with positive change, it imposes no practical constraints? that now or soon is the time to sell?...

It is being widely reported in the press this morning (24th February) that the Stamp Duty Land Tax holiday will be extended until the end of June. An announcement from HM Treasury is expected in next week's Budget.

Environment Secretary George Eustice set out more details on DEFRA's approach to future agricultural policy in his speech to the NFU Conference 2021 today (23rd February).

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 18th February 2021. Reflecting on conversations over the last week, one common theme has been the importance of looking beyond the immediate challenge. Seeing where the world is moving will aid better decisions that are more effective for the longer term when meeting immediate issues. The pressure for climate change mitigation and other environmental goals is now a central part of policies across the United Kingdom....

We are told that Rural Payments has this morning unexpectedly issued e-mails to Countryside Stewardship agreement holders reminding them to submit their claim. This appears to be quirk of the IT system and we are asked to assure members that these should be ignored with no action to be undertaken in response.

The CAAV is pleased to be assured today that work is now in hand to provide documents on Countryside Stewardship in pdf format. The rules for the GOV.uk website require material to be presented in html format for reasons of accessibility but the professional need for these documents to be available as pdfs is recognised and we hope to have them soon.

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 11th February 2021. Economic shocks, like the pandemic, both bring damage and precipitate change shaping a new economy, as energy, skills and assets find new opportunities, often with new technologies. Only hindsight might tell which was which, as it is easier to see losers than those building the future. Accelerated change for physical retail, under long-run pressure and particularly burdened by business rates, sees...

This article by Jeremy Moody first appeared in the CAAV e-Briefing of 4th February 2021. With the current focus on the development of schemes and grants for public goods and productivity, it can be easy to overlook another key component of the new policies. This is the move to a “regulatory baseline” – simply put, what the law will require of farmers as it requires standards from others. Whether under England’s ELM, the Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme, the Animal Health and Welfare...

Gordon Lyons has been appointed as the new Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, replacing Edwin Poots who has stepped down for health reasons.