Page 3 - Basic Payments News Today

The average value of arable farmland in England rose to £9,700 per acre in Q3 2021 – the highest quarterly average since early 2018.

Calculator developed for Defras exit scheme payment 4 June 2021 | Defra hopes the lump sum exit scheme will create opportunities for a younger generation to own farmland A calculator has been developed for farmers to compare what they might expect to receive under the governments lump sum exit scheme. Strutt & Parkers calculator shows the Basic Payments farmers are projected to receive if they continue to claim throughout the rest of the agricultural transition period, between 2022-2027. Defra...

NEW PRESSURES on land use could see some areas moving away from long-established management practices Climate change, new policies and other pressures will change how land is used around the UK in the coming years, according to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers. In its latest paper Future Rural Land Uses in the UK, the CAAV has reviewed the pressures and opportunities for farmers: “From the overarching umbrella of climate change to advancing technologies, growing populations...

Crop Watch: Care needed to tackle weeds without crop damage >More in © Tim Scrivener The warmer spell is seeing fields dry out and agronomists are assessing the impact of yet another wet winter on crops. Disease is being found in some crops and plans are being made to tackle weeds as plants start to actively grow. However, the large temperature range increases the risk of herbicide damage on newer, softer growth. North: Mary Munro AICC/...

By NFU Scotland director of policy Jonnie Hall

Value of capital grants doubles in revised Countryside Stewardship 10 February 2021 | Funding threshold for capital-only grants under CS has increased to £20,000 per funding group Farmers can apply for a wider range of capital grants, including to help improve air quality, through the latest round of the Countryside Stewardship scheme (CS) which has now opened. The maximum level of funding available for the different groups of capital-only grants has also risen from £10,000 to £20,000. Defr...

Row over ‘divisive’ allocation of Scots convergence cash >More in © Adobe Stock Scottish farm leaders have accused the government of short-changing the agricultural industry by using convergence funding to top up the budget for the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS). NFU Scotland said the announcement that £70m of convergence funding is to be paid out to 18,000 farmers and crofters by the end of the month was welcome. But th...

Farmers and crofters across Scotland will start to see additional money paid out to them by the end of the month as the second and final instalment…

  Scottish farmer farmers are getting their second and final instalment of convergence funding by the end of January. Around 18,000 farmers will benefit from the support worth £71.8m. This comes from the £160m package which the UK government awarded Scotland due to its low average payment per hectare. The convergence fund will focus payments on hill and upland farmers, who have had their less favoured support payments slashed to 40% of the historic rate. Rural economy secretary Fergus Ewi...

Agricultural land values rose by an average of 3 per cent in 2020 with record low supply and relatively robust demand helping to underpin values.