In Scotland, multiple support schemes have opened up including a service to help younger farmers get into farming. The National Farmers Union Scotland has also requested that the UK Government transfer the promised convergence payment funds to the Scottish Government and recommended that it only be distributed to active farmers. The Chancellor, Sajid Javid, has promised billions to help improve infrastructure but also hinted at scrapping inheritance tax, saying he understood opposition to the tax. 

FOOD & FARMING

Farm fire costs hit high
The cost of farm fires hit a four-year high of £46.4 million in 2018, up 27.5% on the previous year. The hot summer has been blamed in part, with July seeing an increase of more than 350% compared to 2017. The east of England saw the highest costs of £11.1 million, with Scotland (£7.6 million) and south west England (£7.2 million) also badly affected. Electrical faults were still the most common cause of fires, accounting for more than a third. Fires spreading from elsewhere, such as a barn or homestead, accounted for 23% of cases and arson was blamed for one in five blazes.

Uplift to active farmers
The National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) has asked the UK Government for agri-support uplift funds to be paid to the Scottish Government as soon as possible. £160 million has been promised in lieu of the diversion of CAP convergence payments to the entirety of the UK in 2013. The NFUS said the funding should be targeted “solely at currently active farmers and crofters, rather than attempting any retrospective distribution which could benefit people who have left the industry”. It also pointed out that the one off uplift payment was entirely separate to the outcome of the Bew Review which recommended an additional £51.4 million for Scotland, split between 2021 and 2022. The NFUS also unanimously agreed the funding should be distributed to farmers according to its origins in the EU’s Pillar 1 budget, and should not be used to fund Pillar 2 schemes such as Less Favoured Areas. 

CAP loans have started to arrive in the bank accounts of Scottish farmers. The National Basic Payment Support Scheme will provide up to 95% of eligible farmers’ BPS payments to the total value of £327 million. Those who are yet to receive an offer or have not yet returned their acceptance letter can still do so.

Red meat back on the menu?
The evidence behind advice to eat less red meat is too weak according to analysis by an international collaboration of researchers. They concluded that any health benefits from eating less beef and pork are small. Such advantages are so marginal that they are only apparent when looking at large populations and so not sufficient to tell individuals to change their diets. The analysis is among the largest ever attempted but has already been heavily criticised. Scientists at Harvard warned that the conclusions “harm the credibility of nutrition science and erode public trust in scientific research”. A petition has been filed against the research by the Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine and Dr Frank Sacks, past chair of the American Hearts Association’s nutrition committee called it “fatally flawed”. 

BPS payment exchange rate set
The euro exchange rate for calculating BPS payments in 2019 has been set at €1 = £0.89092. This is slightly lower than last year when €1 was worth £0.89281 and in 2017, it was worth £0.89470. Payments will be made directly into bank accounts by BACS transfer later this year.

POLICY

Inheritance tax could be scrapped
Sajid Javid’s first Budget as Chancellor “will include tax changes”. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, he said he was uncomfortable about making people “pay taxes all over again” when they die and the possibility of abolishing inheritance was “on my mind”. He added “I understand the arguments against that tax”. Currently a 40% levy is charged on the estate of someone who has died if the value of that estate is above £325,000, although a number of reliefs are available to reduce the value of an estate subject to the tax.

He also launched the first wave of an “infrastructure revolution” with a £29 billion commitment over the next five years for roads. He announced £5 billion to support the full-fibre rollout to the “hardest to reach 20% of the country”, a move widely seen as targeting the rural vote. Despite declaring support for infrastructure, he said he would be willing to scrap the HS2 rail project if the cost hit a certain undisclosed figure.

Johnson’s offer unworkable
Boris Johnson has written to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker with a new protocol on the Irish border to replace the backstop. In it Mr Johnson proposes the creation of an “all-island regulatory zone on the island of Ireland, covering all goods including agri-food”. The plan envisages a series of “customs clearance centres” five to 10 miles either side of the border to create an exclusion zone. French President Emmanuel Macron who said the EU would want to “evaluate by the end of the week if a deal is possible”. An 11th October deadline for any changes to UK proposals has reportedly been set by EU chiefs, or there will be no formal negotiations before the European Council summit on 17th and 18th October. Johnson said this was the final chance of a deal and said the EU should not believe that an extension is inevitable. 

ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL CAPITAL

Connect habitats for long-term benefit
Connecting fragments of habitats with natural passageways can preserve and even boost plant biodiversity. An 18-year long project found linking isolated habitats could boost the number of plant species by 14%. The increase is caused by higher plant colonisation rates and lower extinction rates in connected fragments. While it has been known that habitat loss and fragmentation are the primary drivers of extinction, it has not been clear how best to preserve what’s left. Researchers believe connecting fragments could be one solution.

In the UK, roadside verges could become wildlife corridors. New national guidance for managing roadside verges for wildflowers calls for just two cuts a year and only after flowers have set to seed. It is believed the simple measure could lead to 400 billion more wildflowers and save councils money. The recommendations do not apply to areas which are cut for safety, although they do make the point that removing the cuttings will reduce soil fertility and thus vegetation growth on these areas too. The guidance produced by wildlife charity Plantlife could see an overall area of additional grassland equivalent to London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff combined. It is hoped these corridors would help plants, flowers and invertebrates move between an increasingly fragmented UK countryside.

Sir David Attenborough has called for a “legally binding network for nature” to help nature thrive. He said “by joining up wild places and creating more across the UK we would improve our lives and help nature to flourish”. He said having the obligation enshrined in law “would mean that wildlife is prioritised when managing out land and planning our towns”. He called on the public by saying “tell your politicians now is the time to put nature into recovery”.

Animal welfare update
New measures to enhance animal welfare have been unveiled. The Government will consult on banning long journeys to slaughter and proposes accepting recommendations made by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee. It recommended live animal journeys should be minimised and that animals should not be transported if alternatives are available.

The Scottish Government has recently published its Animal Welfare Bill. It outlines policies that will increase maximum penalties for the most serious animal welfare offenses to five years, along with increased penalties for a range of other offences. It will also implement “Finn’s Law”, designed to give extra protection to service animals. The process of rehoming animals that have been taken into possession on welfare grounds will also be simplified and no longer require a court order.

Commitment to tree planting
The Government has committed to planting three new forests in Northumberland to kick start the creation of a Great Northumberland Forest. Up to one million trees will be planted between 2020 and 2024. A forestry partnership will be established to identify appropriate sites for afforestation and bring stakeholders on board. 

UK wildlife populations plummet
The State of Nature report says UK wildlife populations have fallen by an average of 60% since 1970. The area inhabited by “priority species”, those deemed most important and most at risk, has also shrunk by 27%. Those “priority species” include hedgehogs, hares and bats as well as many birds and insects. One in seven of the 8,400 UK species assessed are at risk of being completely lost, with 133 already lost since 1500. A quarter of UK mammals and nearly half of birds are at risk of extinction. The report was produced by a coalition of more than 70 wildlife organisations. 

There are some success stories with 26% of species increasing in abundance. One of Britain’s rarest mammals, the pine marten, has been reintroduced into the wild in England. 18 were released into the Forest of Dean and have been given protected status. They were driven close to extinction in the past due to excessive hunting and loss of habitat. 

PROPERTY & DEVELOPMENT

LGA campaign against barn conversions
The Local Government Association (LGA) is campaigning against Class Q permitted development rights, which allow qualifying redundant agricultural buildings to be converted into up to five residences. The number of conversions has risen from 226 in 2015/16 to 743 in 2017/18. The Local Government Association says rural areas are being deprived of local services, infrastructure and affordable housing delivery or financial contributions which would normally be required from developments going through the planning system. It is calling on the Government to use the Queen’s Speech to commit to scrapping the permitted development rights for all property types and for local communities to be given oversight of all new developments in their areas.

From a farmers’ perspective the Class Q permitted development rights are valuable, and provide a way to find a new use for redundant buildings and prevent these often traditional structures falling further into disrepair. They can be used to house the next generation, staff, let out or sold to raise capital for reinvestment. In the absence of Class Q many would need to prove to planners that their proposals meet an exception policy in order to secure planning permission. This blog provides further information on how Class Q legislation works.

Renewable energy is a material consideration
A recent High Court ruling has deemed the overshadowing of solar panels is a material consideration in planning decisions and set a new precedent. The local authority had granted planning permission to an extension even though it would block sunlight from falling on a neighbours’ solar panels. The permission was challenged and later overruled on the basis that rather than affecting a private interest the electricity generated by the panels was helping to mitigate climate change. In the future, planning authorities will have to factor the impact on solar panels into the normal balancing exercise that is considering an application. 

EU wide study on heritage homes
The European commission has published a study on how privately owned heritage houses can reinvent themselves in the 21st century. It is based upon a survey of over 1,000 historic house owners. Suggestions include focusing on the story behind the house, involving the local community and diversifying income streams. The report lists 68 examples but acknowledges the uniqueness of each property and so has created an online business toolkit for owners to find the most suitable strategy for them.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Support for Scotland
The Scottish Land Matching Service hopes to introduce new entrants into farming to landowners and provide unbiased support to both parties. The service was announced as part of the latest Programme for Government. It will be hosted by the National Farmers Union for Scotland and report into the Farming Opportunities for New Entrants group. Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said the service offers a “mutually beneficial outcome” and “will help to alleviate the historic problem of an aging farming population and lack of access to land for new entrants”.

Funding is also being made available to encourage the creation of a low-carbon heating infrastructure. The Scottish Low Carbon Heat Funding Invitation will provide a total of £30 million to businesses and organisations with innovative solutions to heating buildings. It will provide up to 50% of the total eligible cost of a project, up to a maximum of £10 million. 

Fund to restore flooded land
A £2 million fund for farmers affected by summer flooding has opened. The Farming Recovery Fund will allow North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire farmers to apply for grants between £500 and £25,000 to cover repair costs. It is part of a larger £5.25 million fund to support wider repair work. Restoration work may include repairing drystone walls, re-cultivating productive land and replacing damaged field gates. Full details can be found in the handbook. 

OTHER RURAL NEWS

Bottle fed since prehistory
Archaeologists believe infants in prehistoric times were weaned in much the same way as they are now. They have uncovered evidence that suggests infants were fed animal milk using baby bottles. Three bowls were found in children’s graves in Iron and Bronze Age burial grounds in Bavaria, two of which date from between 800 and 450 BC. The bowls had narrow spouts and appear to have contained milk from ruminants like cows and sheep according to chemical analysis.

And finally…

Hangovers are an illness
A German court has ruled hangovers are an illness. A firm who produces an anti-hangover drink was taken to court after being accused of making illegal health claims about the product. The court said illnesses even included small or temporary changes to the body’s normal state. Those changes include nausea or headaches associated with hangovers which the company claimed it could cure. However the court also ruled that food and drink products cannot be marketed as being able to treat illnesses. The ruling came just in time for the Oktoberfest beer festival.