The Rural Bulletin: 5 October 2017

Wheat and barley production up in 2017

Initial estimates have indicated that both wheat and barley production was up for the 2017 harvest. 

Provisional data released this week by Defra showed that 2017 wheat harvest for the UK was 15.2m tonnes – up 5.4% on 2016, and 10% above the five-year average of 14.5m tonnes. While barley production had increased by 10.6% on the year to 7.4m tones – 10% higher than the five-year average of 6.7m tonnes.

Landowners on alert for RPA mapping errors

Landowners are being warned to be on alert for a range of errors being thrown up by the Rural Payment Agency’s (RPA) recent mapping update. 

The RPA is currently making a number of digital map updates to comply with EU Commission requirements that all land data held on the Rural Land Register is no more than three years old by 31 October 2017. In theory this should mean more exact subsidy payments, however farmers and consultants have come across several issues which could weigh on the accuracy of the 2017 BPS payments. 

Problems include the removal of pre-agreed permanent ineligible features and erroneous field mergers where Ordnance Survey field boundaries have been ignored, said the NFU. 

No cap on green payments, says Gove

There will be no cap on the amount of environmental payments farmers can earn after Brexit, suggested Defra secretary Michael Gove in a speech this week. 

Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference, Mr Gove stated that farmers who undertook environmental enhancements for the public good should be properly rewards and the money that farmers could receive for genuine environmental enhancement should not be capped.

However, direct payments could still face being capped in the future as Mr Gove stated it would be wrong to give public money to landowners for simply owning land. 

Total ban on fracking in Scotland

Fracking in Scotland will be banned indefinitely, according to the latest announcement from Scottish energy minister, Paul Wheelhouse. The decision was sparked after a public consultation revealed overwhelming opposition - with more than 99% of people indicating they were opposed to fracking – meaning it will no longer take place in the country.

This comes after the Country Land and Business Association called on the government last week to ensure its promise of protection for landowners from the long-term implications of fracking.

Weaker sterling drives an increase in 2017 BPS Payments

The weakening sterling against the euro over the past year has increased the value of CAP payments due to be paid to farmers next year by just under 5%.

Aid entitlements under the 2017 BPS and greening schemes will be 4.98% higher than last year after they are converted into sterling at an exchange rate of €1 = £0.89470 – 22.3% higher than the rate two years ago, prior to the EU referendum causing the pound to plummet. 

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