The International Grains Council updated its 2014/15 grain harvest forecast last week. It has been gradually edging up its figures since the first forecasts were published in May last year. In fact since then, their wheat production figure has risen by 20 million tonnes and coarse grains by 30 million. Lower prices as a result […]
Dairy farmers who are struggling financially due to the current low milk prices will be able to receive some free consultancy. The levy board DairyCo has announced it is funding a half-day one-to-one visit with a consultant to draw up a full cash-flow with profit and loss account and balance sheet, together with follow-up reports and recommendations […]
Many will have already registered onto the new CAP Information Service (CAPIS) but if not, the telephone route is by far the easiest. If you are already known to the RPA (i.e have been an agent or a claimant) you can contact the RPA on 03000 200 301 and ask to register on to the […]
The registration roll out to Agents of the new CAPIS claims system has now begun in earnest. Some readers will have already been ‘invited’ to join. For the online verification system users will need; Both passport and photocard driving licence To be prepared to make up usernames and passwords Answer 4 security questions, which will […]
After several weeks of testing the system with a small number of agents and customers, the RPA is now starting to roll out the new CAP Information Service (CAPIS) further. But this will be very much a staged approach with agents and farmers having to wait to be invited onto the system. The aim is […]
The Welsh Government has published a CAP Reform Q&A, this can be found at http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/farmingandcountryside/farming/schemes/basic-payment-scheme/q-and-a-for-farmers-landowners-on-cap-reform-from-2015/?lang=en. Whilst much was already known, the publication does give us some more answers, the main announcements are summarised below. Greening This was detailed back in September, we have summarised what we know and put them into a Welsh Greening […]
DEFRA has published further details on the implementation of CAP reform in England. The full guidance document can be found via https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/367701/cap-reform-october-2014-update.pdf This publication tidies up a few loose ends on Greening and covers other elements of BPS including Active Farmer. Whilst is does tick off a few more points, confirmation from the Commission is […]
DEFRA intends to send out its next CAP information leaflet towards the end of October, but in the meantime a few pieces of information have been released which will be of interest to readers. Dual Use DEFRA has confirmed dual use will be able to continue once again for 2015 for all existing EnvironmentalStewardship agreements. The […]
Sugar beet growers will see their Contact Tonnage Entitlement (CTE) cut by 9% for the 2015 crop. As we reported in July, British Sugar (BS) is struggling with high sugar stocks – a situation which is likely to be exacerbated when this year’s large crop is fully processed. At the same time sugar markets are weak. […]
All will be aware that come next May, it won’t be the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) but the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) that eligible farmers will be claiming. However, perhaps less known and less talked about is how physically this process will take place. We wrote about this in July, but as more detail becomes […]