IS IT TIME TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE ‘MENU CARD’?

By the beginning of this month, farm businesses will have received their 50% BPS advance payment – and perhaps for some, the amount will come as a shock, writes Tom Corfield.

Compared to 2020, the total payment received this year will be 35% less for small farms; for the largest farms, it will be 55% less.  Whilst we have known for some time that BPS payments will taper off to nothing by the end of 2027 with such a substantial reduction this year the financial impact will be felt.

Fortunately, there are a number of potential sources of grant income, and the good news is that an extended deadline means that there is still time to apply for one of them – provided you are quick. 

The RPA has announced that the application deadline for the last round of the Countryside Stewardship scheme has been extended by four weeks to 15^th September.  Get your application in by then, and there is a good chance you could secure funding under a new five year agreement starting on 1^st January 2024.

Another option to consider is the Sustainable Farming Initiative (SFI).  There is no single deadline for applications here; agreements, which last for three years, can start at any time.  The advantage of this scheme over Countryside Stewardship is its flexibility; you can start with one thing and then bolt more on at a later date.

It’s a bit like a menu, where you can order the starter and then call the waiter back to order the main course when you are ready for it.  However, with Countryside Stewardship, you have to order the whole meal, including dessert, up front.  Contrast with SFI, where new ‘dishes’ (standards) will be added to that menu next year.

Meanwhile, a new grant has been announced to help farms build housing for calves, to ‘deliver health and welfare benefits’.  This grant can be for new buildings, upgrades or replacements, and will pay up to 40% of the cost, up to a maximum of £500,000.  This new grant complements the existing standalone capital grants, for which the payment rates have increased.

Finally, a recent government decision has made diversification more attractive.  From 26^th July this year, the length of time a farm can operate a pop-up campsite has been increased from 28 days to 60 days.  Given the cost of setting up the infrastructure for such sites, this is a positive change to help the farming sector.