The AHDB is proposing to increase its Levy rates from the start of the 2024/25 financial year. The Levy Board has said it needs additional funding if it is to deliver more key services. These include marketing and exports for the Beef & Lamb, Dairy and Pork sectors, and more independent research for the Cereals & Oilseeds sector as requested in feedback through the Shape the Future vote undertaken last year. It also says the requests to do more have come at a time when the AHDB’s spending power has been greatly reduced, with inflation alone eroding the value of the Levy by around 40%. AHDB Chair, Nicholas Saphir has acknowledged that there is never a ‘perfect time’ to increase levies, but it has been at least 12 year’s since rates have increased. The table below shows the current and proposed rates for the four sectors proposing an increase.
Over the coming weeks Levy Payers will be given the chance to ask questions. Sector councils will then make their final recommendations to the AHDB board who will then put the proposals to Government ministers and devolved administrations later this year.
The latest edition of the Farm Management Pocketbook (aka ‘the John Nix book’) has just been published. The famous guide to farming business information has been updated for 2024. More details and how to order can be found at – https://theandersonscentre.co.uk/shop/john-nix-pocketbook-54/.
The most recent State of Nature report shows the UK’s wildlife is continuing to decline. It reveals that the species studied have, on average, declined by 19% in the UK since monitoring began in 1970. It reports that nearly one in six of the more than 10,000 species assessed are at risk of being lost from GB. The fugure is higher for certain groups such as birds (43%) and terrestrial mammals (26%). Perhaps one of the most stark comments is that the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth. The landmark report is described as the most comprehensive report on the UK’s current biodiversity. It follows on from previous editions published in 2013, 2016 and 2019. The full report can be found via https://stateofnature.org.uk/.
The payment rates under the new Habitat Wales scheme have been announced. They will be;
Habitat land – £69 per Ha
Woodland habitat land – £62 per Ha
Common land – £29 per Ha (with various top-ups for stocking and managment).
Payments to individual farmers will be capped at a maximum level – although there is no detail yet on what this might be. Eligible land will be placed in ten broad habitat categories, and then farmers will have to follow the management presricptions for that particular category on the land. More details can be found at – https://www.gov.wales/habitat-wales-scheme-outline-html. The Welsh Government has not yet confirmed a budget for the scheme and it is unclear whether all applicants to Habitat Wales will be successful.
The introduction of the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirement for developers will be delayed until January. This legal requirement to increase the biodiversity by 10% during construction was due to come into effect this November. It has been stated that the delay is to allow more time for Planning Authorities to get prepared for the rules. This announcment seems to fall into a recent pattern of the Government rowing-back on environmental commitments – for example Nutrient Neutrality, ban on fossil-fuel cars, heat pumps etc. More details can be found at – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/biodiversity-net-gain-moves-step-closer-with-timetable-set-out .
SFI 2023 opened on 18th September 2023, however not everyone can apply yet. Those who have already expressed an interest are receiving emails in a ‘controlled roll-out’ inviting them to begin their application; this includes a Pdf on how to apply. Applications are via farmers’ Rural Payments accounts. Feedback is encouraged so that the system can be improved, with the intention for the scheme to be opened up for more farmers to apply in due course.
Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier
Many may be aware there have been ongoing technical problems with the Countryside Stewardship application portal, meaning that some have not been able to submit their applications. For some, these issues are still ongoing even after the second extended deadline of 15th September 2023. Defra has confirmed that those with an open CS Mid Tier application, or those who have submitted an RLE1 from with the intention to apply, will have additional time to complete their application beyond the 15th September deadline. We have heard of circumstances where applicants (or their agents) have been told to submit their application and when they receive the offer, they can make amendments. Whereas in other cases, it has not been possible to even submit the application.
Defra has announced plans to boost protected landscapes – National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Firstly, measures will be introduced to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill enhancing the status of the Management Plans that these areas must have. It is not yet clear what this might mean in practice, but it could have implications for farming and other rural businesses in these areas. In addition, £2m worth of funding will be made available for National Parks and AONBs to work more closely together and share best-practice. Lastly, the Government has (re-) announced the £10m boost in the Farming in Protected Landscapes Scheme (FiPL) and its extension to March 2025 which we reported on in the February Bulletin (see https://abcbooks.co.uk/farming-in-protected-landscapes-2/ ).
The Government’s plans to scrap the Nutrient Neutrality (NN) rules for housebuilding (see https://abcbooks.co.uk/nurient-neutrality-scrapped/ ) have been blocked by the House of Lords. The proposed change was due to be enacted in law through an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill currently going through Parliament. Due to Parliamentary rules, the rejection by Peers, by 203 votes to 156, means that this legislative route is now blocked. The Government is said to be considering its ‘next steps’ in light of this set-back. With the Government seemingly still commited to reforming the NN rules, it seems highly unlikely that any housebuilder is going to invest in NN offsets, in the short-term at least. Therefore, this market will still be ‘paused’, if not ended completely, until the new regime becomes clearer.
Payments have begun of the 2023 BPS (and Greening payments) to farmers. The Scottish Govenment states that 13,000 farm businesses will share £288m of these advance payments.
The Agri-Environment and Climate Scheme (AECS) will be open again in 2024 with an expanded offer. This was announced in the Scottish Governments’ Programme of Government on the 5th September. There will be a focus on organic conversion with an ambition to double the amount of land managed organically. Some actions that were not available in 2023 due to budgetary pressures will be open next year – the chemical & mechanical treatment of bracken, heather cutting and restoring of drystone or flagstone dykes. In addition, the Creation of Hedgerow option has had its limit raised from 500m to 1,000m and the Pond Creation & Restoration will be reintroduced albeit limited to 2000m2 per application. In addition, it was announced that there would be capital grants to improve slurry stores.
The application windows for the various elements are;
Slurry Stores – early 2024 (details to be announced)
Stand-alone organic conversion and maintenance – 1st February 2024 to 31st July 2024
Other Agri-environment – 1st February 2024 to 10th June 2024
