The Rural Bulletin: 19 October 2017

Farm damage could reach £10m

Claims for damages caused by storm Ophelia could reach £10m, according to rural insurer, NFU Mutual. The current assessment of damages is already estimated at £5-10m, but this could rise further as farmers evaluate the extent of the damage over the coming days. 

Although this week’s gale force winds were some of the worst in recent history, they caused less damage to farms than expected. However, landowners should use this a reminder to check for any maintenance needed on farm buildings ahead of the winter. 

Scrap direct payments, urges government advisor

The Natural Capital Committee – an independent body that advises the government on the sustainable use of natural capital - has called for future subsidies to be paid for rural development and environmental delivery alone, to reduce the risk of direct payments distorting land values.

“If you give someone an amount of money per acre for owning it (as under the Basic Payment Scheme), it will be capitalised in the land price,” chairman Dieter Helm was reported as saying in this week’s Farmers Weekly. 

However, the NFU argues that direct payments need to be retained to help businesses survive market volatility.

RPA to tighten active farmer rules

Changes to the rules on active farmer status will mean smaller farmers in England have to provide an accountant’s certificate to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) to prove eligibility to claim Basic Payment Scheme subsidies. 

By request of the European Commission, the RPA will have to carry out more checks on active farmer status for those who have less than 36ha of land but received more than €5,000 in 2016, and have also been assessed in 2017. The RPA will issue affected farmers and landowners with a letter, requesting an accountant’s certificate to be returned within 10 working days. 2017 BPS claims will not be processed until this is done.

Wet weather allows NI farmers to spread during closed period

Farmers in Northern Ireland will be permitted to spread slurry during the imminent closed period – though only as a last resort, according to the Ulster Farmers’ Union.

Due to the remarkably wet weather this year, if farmers are unable to get all of their slurry spread before 15 October, the ‘reasonable excuse’ clause can be used. While farmers will not have to notify the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs or NI Environment Agency, detailed records must be kept, including weather and ground conditions, how slurry was managed prior to the closed period, the amount of storage on farm and that there were no other options