It is now possible to complete and submit a 2016 BPS application on line in England. Farmers & agents can sign into the Rural Payments service at https://www.ruralpayments.service.gov.uk/. Customer Reference numbers (CRNs) and passwords from last year are still valid. If you can’t remember yourpassword it is possible to create a new one from the […]
The Scottish Government has announced it will use £200 million of national funds to make BPS and LFASS payments to struggling farmers and crofters. First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has confirmed any farmer or crofter who has not received an installment of their Basic Payment by the end of March will receive a payment in April. […]
Some may remember that, for the 2015 BPS, the RPA briefly asked for details of all the people involved in a business claiming under the scheme. This requirement was quickly dropped in the chaos of the 2015 application. However, the necessity to provide information for ‘accountable people’ has returned for 2016. EU rules mean that […]
England As at 12th February the RPA had paid 68,572 (78.7%) claimants their 2015 Basic Payment. In monetary terms this amounts to £1.043 billion, approximately 73%. Payments will continue to be made throughout February as they are processed. Those claims involving commons or cross borders or those that have been involved in an inspection should […]
The Scottish Government has fallen well short of its own target to pay the majority of first instalments of the BPS by the end of January. Rural Affairs Secretary, Richard Lochhead, has confirmed that around 5,000 farmers have received payment, out of an estimated claimant population of 18,000. This is less than 30%. Whilst payments […]
It was hoped that the IT problems that dogged 2015 BPS applications would not reappear this year. However, worries are starting to increase. The Agent Bulletin – ‘Helping the rural community prepare for BPS 2016′ received just before Christmas seemed hopeful. But having seen the ‘demonstration’ at LAMMA, the online version seems a long way […]
In England as of 19th January, the RPA had made payments to around 57,700 businesses. This is approximately two thirds of all claimants and takes the total payments made to £779 million. It appears some claimants have been contacted as they are not registered on the Rural Payments System. Payments can only be made to […]
England The RPA has announced it has (just) met its commitment to the majority of eligible claimants by the end of December. The latest statistics show that 44,400 farmers, almost 51% of all claimants have been paid, amounting to just under £425 million. Although the RPA claimed they were not just paying the smaller, straightforward […]
At the halfway point of the campaign, British Sugar (BS) has released details so far for the 2015 crop. Both yields and sugar contents look strong – the unseasonably mild weather has seen the crop continue to grow during the autumn and early winter. Average yields for the four factories range from 68-78 tonnes per […]
The Scottish Government has announced that they are ‘on track’ with payments. The first payments will be made during December with about 25% of farmers being paid before Christmas. The first installment will be at least 70% of the total payment with the second installment expected in April. All claimants should receive their first installment […]