Following the announcement that 2015 Basic Payment applications would be made on paper the RPA has published the blank BP5 form along with guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-apply-for-the-basic-payment-scheme-in-2015). We have had a number of questions of the past couple of days so will attempt to provide some guidance and pointers of our own. E-mails for those who do not […]
Following the approval of the RDPE programme, DEFRA have published another CAP Update covering funding under Pillar 2 – Rural Development. There are two general points to note regarding the schemes. We have previously mentioned that all agent authorisations need to be re-submitted for BPS. This is also the case for agents managing Environmental Stewardship (ES) […]
The Woodland Capital Grants scheme opened on the 17th February 2015. The scheme is available for woodland creation, woodland management plans (to use in a Countryside Stewardship Scheme application) and tree health issues. Full details of the scheme including capital item prescriptions and payment rates can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-countryside-stewardship-woodland-capital-grants-2015/guide-to-countryside-stewardship-woodland-capital-grants-2015. Applications Applications for tree health […]
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 […]