Despite the Rural Payments Agency’s announcement that 91% of farmers should have been paid their Basic payment by 31st December 2017, I know that some of my clients, particularly those with common rights and arable cropping are still waiting for their payment.

However, what has been encouraging is that in recent weeks responses to our complaints have been addressed and claimants have been receiving extra monies.

So if you have areas of concern, maybe even with the amount of the top up payments, it is worth forwarding these through to your agent to check all is correct.

One positive start to 2018 has been the encouraging news delivered by Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, at the Oxford Farming Conference.

We were informed that there will be a five year transition period post BPS 2019 which will see BPS remain in England until 2024. For those in the Countryside Stewardship scheme further assurance was given that no one in an existing scheme is to be unfairly disadvantaged.

As we expected the future plan will be more scheme based, around delivery of payments based on supporting the environment.

Michael Gove said: “A scheme accessible to almost any land owner or manager who wishes to enhance the natural environment by planting woodland, providing new habitats for wildlife, increasing biodiversity, contributing to improved water quality and returning cultivated land to wildflower meadows and other more natural states."

There will also be additional money made available for landscape scale collaboration. Investment in technology and skills alongside infrastructure, public access and rural resilience will also be encouraged.

For those with an interest in woodland it is important to note that The Woodland Creation Grant opened for applications on 1st January.

These are two-year capital grants of up to £6,800 per hectare (£2,750 per acre), with the opportunity to apply for ten-year annual maintenance payments.

Applications must be submitted by 16th February 2018 so time is of the essence.

It is also worth noting that amenity land which is entered into a Woodland Creation agreement is viewed as non-agricultural land from the outset of the agreement. This means the land is ineligible for BPS unless it was used to claim SPS in 2008.

Mark Barrow

Chartered Surveyor, CL Hodgson