News

Poul Christensen has been confirmed as the new Chairman of Natural England. For further details, see the Natural England website.

The CAAV's professional exams of 2009 have seen 62 qualify to apply for Fellowship. This is 11 more than the previous highest figure of 51 in 2006 and 21 up on last year. A further 35 succeeded in passing part of the examinations with another part to sit in future. The results were posted to candidates on 1st December.

The EU has authorised the payment of direct grants, subsidised loans and interest rate subsidies worth up to 15,000 euros to French farmers affected by the current economic crisis. For further information, see the Europa press release.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has made SPS 2009 payments to 82.5 per cent of Welsh farmers on 1st December when the SPS 2009 payment window opened. Please see the WAG website for further information.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has confirmed the application window for the Young Entrants Support Scheme 2010/11 will open on 4th January 2010 and close on 28th February. Further information is available on the WAG website.

With the opening of the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) 2009 payment window on 1st December, the RPA has commenced making payments.

DEFRA has announced that the cross compliance standards relating to waterlogged soils are suspended in Cumbria to allow clean up and repair operations to take place. Farmers are advised to record any damage to waterlogged soils and note the necessary remedial action on their Soil Protection Review.

HMRC has opened a helpline for those affected by floods who may have lost records or need assistance with making payments. The number is 0845 3000 157 and further information is available from the HMRC website.

HMRC has published the new advisory fuel rates for company cars, which take effect from 1st December. The rates can be found on the HMRC website.

The South Downs has been confirmed as a new National Park. A new South Downs National Park Authority is expected to be in place by April 2010. For further information, see the press release on the DEFRA website.

The Marine and Coastal Access Act was passed on 12th November. It introduces a right of access to the coast which will be implemented by Natural England. Consultations on various aspects of coastal access are ongoing and the CAAV is part of the Coastal Access Forum. See Members' Documents / Property for more detailed briefings on coastal access.

Bookings are now being taken for the CAAV Centenary Young Valuers' Conference which is being held on Friday 8th January 2010 at Magdalen College, Oxford. The conference is open to all CAAV members aged 35 and under. A four-course, black tie banquet will take place on the Friday evening in the impressive 15th century Dining Hall at Magdalen College and tickets for this are open to partners, guests and friends. Places are limited so early booking is advisable. Further information is available in...

HMRC has announced that from April 2010, all businesses with an annual turnover of £100,000 or more will have to file their VAT returns online. Further information will be sent to businesses by HMRC and there is guidance on the HMRC website.

Hilary Benn has issued a Ministerial Statement to the House of Commons today regarding the RPA's loss of some data sources relating to customers. Further information is available on the RPA website.

The EU has formally notified the UK of its failure to take action to implement the EU Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications across the EU. The Directive should have been implemented by members states by October 2007 in order to facilitate the movement of professionals to work across the EU. Belgium and Luxembourg have also failed to meet the EU requirements. More information is available on the Europa website....

The OFT has banned two people and a limited company from trading as estate agents after they failed to join a redress scheme. More details on the OFT website.

DEFRA has published the new Soil Strategy for England which aims to improve the management of soil and tackle degradation. The Strategy can be downloaded from the DEFRA website.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has announced a five year programme that will see £13.3 million of funding made available in Flintshire, Wrexham, Powys, Monmouthshire, Newport, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan for new flood defence measures. Further information is available on the WAG website.

Scotland has been granted TB free status following a vote by all European Members States yesterday that saw comprehensive support for the move. There are concerns about the effects that this decision may have upon cross border trade and movements but final details are still under discussion. Further information is available on the Scottish Government website.

The Infrastructure Planning Commission has announced the appointment of three commissioners. The IPC will begin to publish new National Policy Statements from this autumn, covering matters including water, gas and electricity infrastructure and renewable energy.

Those managing farms and estates which have bulk LPG tanks should ensure that any underground pipes are checked for safety. An inquiry into an explosion in a Glasgow factory in 2004 which killed 9 people has concluded that corroded underground pipes from LPG tanks were to blame. The Gill Inquiry has called for changes to the health and safety regime to improve guidance and regulation of such underground pipes. The report of the Inquiry can be found on The ICL Inquiry website....

DEFRA is to carry out a review of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to ensure that it is ready to implement any changes that may come about as part of the CAP changes in 2013 as well as assess what improvements could be made. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

The NFU and The Ramblers have joined forces to issue advice to walkers on safety near cattle, following three deaths due to trampling in recent months. New warning signs are available to NFU members and a list of Do's and Don'ts for walkers is being promoted. For more details, go to the NFU website.

HMRC has announced that it plans to phase out paper VAT returns in favour of online returns. Businesses with a turnover exceeding £100,000 will be required to make online VAT returns after 1st April 2010. Other businesses are likely to have until 2012. Further details are available on the HMRC website....

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has announced that more than £900,000 is to be offered in grant funding to repair and restore some 22 of Wales' important historic buildings. Further information is available on the WAG website.

Natural England (NE) has clarified its position with regard to wind farms in National Parks following an article that appeared in the Daily Telegraph on 24th July 2009. Please view the Press Release on the Natural England website for further information.

As part of the 60th anniversary celebrations for National Parks and National Parks week (running from 27th July to 2nd August), Hilary Benn has visited the Peak District National Park which was one of the original four National Parks established in 1951. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

The Conservative Party has launched a new on-line discussion forum for agricultural matters at the CLA Game Fair. The website "Future Countryside" includes four major themes: Food and Farming; Biodiversity and Conservation; A Changing Environment, and Resources and Regulation.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has published survey results looking at changes to the Welsh Countryside over the past 30 years. Further information is available on the WAG website. Please click here to view the report.

The Welsh Assembly Government has launched a Young Entrants Support Scheme which will provide grant aid and business advice to young people entering the agricultural industry. For further details, see the press release on the WAG website.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn, has issued a written statement with regard to progress with payments under the 2008 Single Payment Scheme. His statement may be viewed on the RPA website.

DEFRA has announced that the voluntary approach to set aside mitigation which was proposed by the NFU and CLA has been approved. The full press release is available on the DEFRA website and more detail will be posted on the Members Documents section of this website shortly.

The Bank of England has announced that interest rates will remain at 0.5% for the fourth month in a row. See the BBC News website for further detail.

The Welsh Assembly Government has announced the creation of a new high-level co-ordinator post to work with dairy farmers in Wales. The post will be advertised nationally shortly. More details are available on the WAG website.

The RPA has published the latest figures on payments made for the SPS 2008. These show that as at 30th June 2009, over 104,000 claims have been paid, from a total of about 106,500 claimants, amounting to 99.7% of the total fund. The full press release can be found on the RPA website.

DEFRA has announced the formation of a joint government and industry advisory group to advise upon the proposals for responsibility and cost sharing for animal health and welfare. Further information is available on DEFRA's website.

FWi has reported that the government appeal against the High Court ruling that DEFRA had failed in its duty to ensure that the application of pesticides did not cause harm to rural residents has been decided in DEFRA's favour. The case had been pursued by Georgina Downs who lives near farmland in West Sussex. It is understood that DEFRA will be issuing a consultation in the autumn with regard to public access to farm spray records as a result of this judgment. A statement has been issued by...

DEFRA has confirmed that following clarification of the rules relating to the marketing of fruit and vegetables as a result of new EU marketing regulations that take effect tomorrow (1st July 2009), consumers should now be able to more readily access "imperfect" fruits and vegetables in their local shops and supermarkets. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

Environment Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has today announced the introduction of reduced fees for smaller businesses who need to apply to a local authority to obtain a pollution permit under the Environmental Permitting Regulations. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

The NFU backed bovine TB compensation table valuations legal case involving David Partridge has been refused leave to appeal to the House of Lords which means that the decision handed down by the Court of Appeal on 1st April 2009 stands. Please see the NFU Press Release for further information.

The latest edition of English Heritage's annual "Heritage at Risk" register published this week has shown that 1 in 7 of some 9,300 Conservation Areas in England is at risk. English Heritage has therefore urged that councils make more use of Article 4 Directions to retain the character of these areas. Please click here to view English Heritage's news release which contains further information....

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) is to appoint a Chief Scientific Adviser for the first time ever in Wales. The creation of this role follows a review carried out by Professor Christopher Pollack on behalf of the First Minister in 2008. Further information is available on the WAG website.

Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has announced that there will be no application of a National Envelope to the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) in Wales. A National Envelope provision was included within the CAP Health Check and was consulted upon in Wales earlier this year. Further information is available on the WAG website.

The Government has published the final report "Digital Britain" which lays out the long-term strategy for digital delivery for the UK. The report can be veiwed on the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS)website.

DEFRA has published a new wildlife health strategy that sets out a general approach to tackling disease in wildlife. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) has been honoured by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales accepting the CAAV's invitation to him to be its Centenary Patron. The CAAV will be celebrating its Centenary over the year to June 2010 with a range of events. The Prince of Wales has agreed to be Patron for that Centenary Year.

The CAAV AGM at Stratford-upon-Avon on Friday 12th June elected Mark Webb as its President for the Centenary Year 2009/2010. Mark Webb, who is a founding partner of WebbPaton, based at Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, said, "The CAAV has got a century of achievement under its belt and we are looking forward to our second century. Agricultural valuers have shown themselves to be practical and adaptable as times and client's needs have changed; professionals in the countryside giveing support to all...

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has today issued a statement to Parliament regarding the predicament of Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFOB). His statement may be viewed on the DEFRA website.

Following the departure of Jane Kennedy from government yesterday, the DEFRA ministerial team has been joined by Jim Fitzpatrick MP. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

Two Government departments (BERR and DIUS) are to be merged to form the new Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Further information is available from the BERR website.

The Commission for Rural Communities has published a Rural Reference Bulletin on Digital Inclusion, which reviews the availability of broadband connections in rural reas. The bulletin is available from the CRC website.

The BBC News website has reported that Environment Minister Jane Kennedy has been 'sacked' from government after refusing to pledge her support for Gordon Brown's continuing leadership.

Following today's Cabinet reshuffle, Hilary Benn is remaining as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

Dairy Farmers of Britain appointed PriceWaterhouseCoopers as receivers on 3rd June 2009. Further information on the position of dairy farmers supplying DFB can be obtained from the DFB page on the PWC website, or from the DFB website.

Natural England has published its response to the consultation on set aside mitigation, expressing reservations about the CLA/NFU Option B proposals. The full press release can be found on the Natural England website.

The Environment Agency have opened a consultation on a review of the Severn Estuary Shoreline Management Plan, details of which are available on the Environment Agency website.

A reminder that the consultation period for the draft River Basin Management Plans closes on 22nd June. Draft RBMPs have been produced for the Anglian, Humber, Severn, Thames, Dee, North-west, Northumbria, South-east, South-west, Solway Tweed and Western Wales districts. All the documents can be found 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.

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.

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.

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....

DEFRA have published statistics on UK Biodiversity Indicators which give a mixed picture of changes to biodiversity in the UK. Whilst some indicators showed both short and long term improvement, others showed declines. The press release with further detail can be found on the DEFRA website.

An agricultural contractor in Wiltshire has been fined £1,800 plus costs after being prosecuted by the Environment Agency for polluting a brook with slurry which had run off an adjacent field. The full story can be found on the Environment Agency website.

DEFRA have published the latest compensation tables for animals slaughtered for TB, BSE, brucellosis and EBL for April 2009. They can be found on the DEFRA website.

A new Grazing Exchange has been set up in East Anglia to match livestock owners in search of grazing land with landowners who have grass available. The Grazing Exchange is supported by Natural England, Easton College and the Eastern Region Grazing Forum. More information is available on the Eastern Region Grazing Forum website.

The Commission for Rural Communities has announced that £19 million of funding from the Bog Lottery Fund will be available to 55 villages to restore or build village halls. For further information, go to the CRC website.

CRC have produced the latest in thier series of Rural Recession Intelligence Reports, focussing on rural housing. This finds that despite a fall in rural house prices, affordability remains a problem and repossessions are on the increase. A summary of the report can be found on the CRC website.

DEFRA has published regional sustainable development indicator results for English Regions. These indicators are to support the UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy and it has been possible to produce regional versions for use by the Government Office Regions. It is hoped that these indicators will help to provide a better perspective of sustainable development within regions. Further information is available on the DEFRA website....

Hilary Benn, Environment Secretary, has today announced that the South Downs is to become England's ninth National Park. This will see an area of 627 square miles becoming designated with this new status. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

Campaigners opposed to a proposed new eco-town in Warwickshire are taking their case to the Court of Appeal, according to a report on the Planning Portal website.

FWAG have launched the 2009 Silver Lapwing Awards and application forms can be downloaded from the FWAG website.

The Forestry Commission are inviting nominations for the Ian Forshaw Memorial Medal which recognises outstanding contributions to Welsh forestry. Further information is available on the Forestry Commission website and the closing date for nominations is 15th June 2009.

RIDBA have announced that a new edition of the Farm Buildings Handbook will be launched on April 7th. The book covers all aspects of farm building construction including legislation, planning, design and specification. It will be available direct from RIDBA or via Amazon or specialist retailers, priced at £12.

Farmers Weekly have published an article on IHT written by CAAV Secretary and Adviser, Jeremy Moody. To view the article, go to the Farmers Weekly website.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has announced today that an injectable bovine TB vaccine for badgers will begin to be used from 2010. Initially vaccination will be carried out in up to six areas where there is a high incidence of bovine TB and will continue for a minimum of five years. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

English Heritage is launching the first national survey of England's 9,300 Conservation Areas in order to assess their condition. The survey will take the form of a questionnaire to local authorities and the results are expected to be announced in June. For further information, go to the English Heritage website.

It is understood from reports by the Farmers Guardian that the bovine TB compensation case (Partridge Farms) appeal which was heard in the Court of Appeal on 16th and 17th March has concluded and judgment has been reserved. Further information is available on the Farmers Guardian website.

Natural England have brought a case against a dog walker who allowed 3 dogs to roam off their leads in a Nature Reserve which was also a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The dog walker was prosecuted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and fined £250 with £250 costs. The full press release can be found on the Natural England website.

A Suffolk farmer was fined £2,500 with £4,609 costs when he admitted causing pollution of a watercourse with pesticide. The pesticide had travelled through drains from the sprayer filling site to the stream, where it killed crayfish and invertebrates. The Environment Agency stated that the case showed the importance of siting pesticide handling areas well away from drainage systems. A more detailed report is available on the Environment Agency website....

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has announced the statutory levy rates for 2009/10. Most are unchanged from last year with the exception of the levy on pig producers. The full press release can be seen on the DEFRA website.

A farmer in Cumbria was taken to court by Natural England for causing 'severe damage' to a SSSI in Cumbria - Cropple How Mire - through overgrazing. The farmer has been fined £1,200 and ordered to pay £4,663 costs. Further information is available on the Natural England website.

Following a consultation process, the Soil Association has decided against allowing a 'holiday' from the organic standards required for animal feed given to organic stock as a result of the current economic climate. The proposal earlier this year was that organic stock could be fed non-organic feed to assist farmers affected by the falling demand for organic products. As a result of this decision, all Soil Association food will have to continue to be produced to full organic standards. Further...

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee has voted to reduced interest rates to 0.5%. Further information is available on the Bank of England website.

The RPA has commenced making 2009 HFA payments. All successful claimants should receive a 75% partial payment, with the remaining 25% being paid once inspections and validation of claims is completed. Further information is available on the RPA website.

The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (formerly the Game Conservancy Trust) have launched a world record attempt to provide the largest bird feeder on their farm at Loddington in Leicestershire. The full story is available on the GWCT website.

Following veterinary investigations last week, DEFRA has confirmed that avian influeza (H6N1strain) has been found on two poultry premises in East Anglia. Further tests are being carried out with results not likely for some days. Restrictions remain in place at the affected premises. Further information is available on DEFRA's website.

The compulsory deadline for Bluetongue vaccination in Scotland has been extended from 30th April 2009 to 30th June 2009 for farmers who have livestock on uninhabited islands and remote hill sheep flocks located north of the Great Glen, the latter group will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and an application for the vacination extension will have to be submitted. This is as a result of welfare concerns. Further information is available on the Scottish Government website....

The Welsh Assembly will commence making 2009 Tir Mynydd (the Welsh equivalent of the Hill Farm Allowance Scheme in England) payments next week. The Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones, has also indicated that an announcement will be forthcoming soon with regard to the future of support in the Less Favoured Area following the review of Axis 2 agri-environment schemes. Further information is available on the Welsh Assembly website....

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology has produced a report on wild deer in the UK which gives an overview of deer populations, the legislation surrounding deer and some of the impacts which an increasing deer population is having on the countryside. The report is available on the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technologywebsite.

The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs outlined a number of initiatives for Scottish agriculture during a speech to the Scottish NFU Conference, including: * Expanding the new entrants measure * A new agriculture subsidy appeals procedure * Five 'Climate Change Actions' * Creation of a pilot project to reduce red tape * Publication of research into pigmeat labelling The full press release on the speech can be found on the Scottish Government website....

Reading University are conducting a confidential on-line consultation about the experience and incidence of TB in England since 1980. The survey is estimated to take between 15 and 20 minutes to complete on-line and can be accessed from the Reading University website.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales has written to all vets in Wales urging them to encourage farmers to take up vaccination of their livestock against bluetongue serotype 8. The full press release can be found on the WAG website.

The organisation Sense About Science have produced a booklet entitled "Making Sense of GM: What is the genetic modification of plants and why are scientists doing it?" . The publication is available to download from the Sense About Science website.

The RPA have made a further run of interest payments to farmers who received their full 2006 SPS payments after the close of the payment window on 30th June 2007. Further information is available on the RPA website.

The Government has announced that businesses facing backdated rates bills will be able to make payments spread over eight years. New legislation has been published and comes into force on 9th March 2009. The full press release can be read at the DCLG website.

Welsh Assembly Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, and the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, Christianne Glossop, have been urging farmers to vaccinate early in 2009 against Bluetongue. Further information is available on the WAG website.

The Government has published an interim report looking at the the plans for the UK's transition to digital. A news release and the full report is available on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport(DCMS) website.

The European Commission has put forward proposals for €5 billion investment into energy and broadband infrasructure during 2009 and 2010 as part of the implementation of the EU recovery plan. Further information about this proposed investment is available on the Europa website.

Mr Justice Walker has found in favour of the Government in the eco-town Judicial Review taken forward by the BARD campaign. He considered that the consultation process was adequate at the preliminary stage of the eco-towns shortlist selection process. A summary of the judgment is available on Bailii website. A news release and further information may be viewed on the Weston Front website....

DEFRA has extended the deadline for submission of evidence where a farmer wishes to appeal a new NVZ designation. Farmers must still notify DEFRA that an appeal is being made by 31st January but will have until 10th March to submit supporting evidence. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.

The European Parliament has voted in favour of a new EU Regulation on pesticides and plant protection. The British government raised concerns that no impact assessment has been carried out to examine the potential consequences of the removal of some existing pesticides on the agriculture and horticulture industries. The proposed new legislation will now have to be adopted by the European Commission and is likely to come into force later this year.

The RPA has published further figures today which show that just under £1.1 billion of SPS 2008 payments (67.4% of the estimated total fund of £1.63 billion) have been made. Full payments have been made to just over 84,000 claimants, out of a total of approximately 106,500 claimants. Further information is available on the RPA website.

DEFRA has announced the lauch of the new Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) with effect from 1st April 2009. Fera will incorporate DEFRA's Central Science Laboratory, Plant Health Division, Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate and the Plant Variety Rights Office and Seeds Division. Further information is available on the DEFRA website.