Report Stage for Agriculture Bill in House of Lord Scheduled to Start on 15 September

Peers will have a final chance to consider the Agriculture Bill before it returns to the House of Commons, when the Bill starts its House of Lords Report Stage on 15 September. Three days have been scheduled to go through the various amendments tabled. We are pleased to report that all the amendments proposed by the TFA have been tabled in one form or another by members in the Lords. It remains to be seen how the House authorities plan to hold votes on any of the amendments moved. For further information on the TFA's proposed amendments, click here.

DEFRA Proposing Sustainable Farming Incentive Ahead of ELMs

DEFRA is proposing a new scheme to help farmers prepare for the introduction of the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs). It is recommending that the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will act as a ‘stepping stone’ to ELMs, aimed at attracting farmers and land managers who are not currently involved in an agri-environment scheme, but will also not exclude those who are.

DEFRA is in the early stages of scheme design and no decisions have been taken yet as to whether to proceed with this, or how it might operate in detail. What we do know is that it is proposed that SFI will be introduced in 2022 and run alongside current schemes until ELMs introduction in 2024. It is likely the scheme requirements will be for farmers to contribute towards the Government’s environmental goals and net zero commitments ahead of the full rollout of ELMs.

Once DEFRA has confirmed if the scheme will roll out, we will share more information. If you have any comments on the introduction of a new scheme in the run up ELMs, please contact TFA Farm Policy Advisor, Lynette Steel, at TFA head office on 0118 930 6130.

TFA Response to DEFRA Financial Assistance Consultation

The TFA has submitted its response to DEFRA following the consultation on proposals for the Financial Assistance Statutory Instrument. The consultation covered the publishing of beneficiary data and the regulatory culture in relation to schemes in receipt of Financial Assistance from 2021, specifically ELMs Pilots Scheme, Tree Health Pilot Scheme, Countryside Stewardship 2022 scheme and Productivity Grants Scheme. The TFA's full response on the consultation can be read here.

Welsh Government BPS 2020 Support Scheme Is Now Open For Applications

Following the announcement by the Welsh Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2020 Support Scheme is now open for applications. Applications from BPS claimants can be made by logging in to their RPW Online accounts. The scheme will pay a loan of up to 90% of an individual business’ anticipated BPS claim value and will alleviate pressure on those farm businesses who do not receive their BPS payments on day one of the payment window, which opens on 1 December 2020. For more information, click here.

Don't Miss Out in Expressing Your Views On Contractual Relationships in Dairy Sector

The consultation on dairy contracts, launched in June by the UK Government in conjunction with the Devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, closes for comments on 15 September. The Government is keen to hear from individual dairy farmers and there is a simple, online questionnaire that you can complete to submit your views. For more information, click here. The TFA will also be submitting formal responses to DEFRA and the Welsh Government. If you have any thoughts that you would like the TFA to consider including within those responses, please email these to tfa@tfa.org.uk by Friday 11 September.

Not Yet a Member of the Tenant Farmers Association?

If you are reading this newsletter and you are not a member of the TFA, click here to watch a short video where our Chief Executive, George Dunn, explains the benefits of TFA membership.

The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme Registration Opens

Family farm businesses are invited to register for The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme, run by The Prince’s Countryside Fund, from now until 31 October 2020.

Held in 15 locations across the UK each year and coordinated by local partners such as Farm Cornwall and the Farmer Network, the multi-million-pound programme allows up to 20 farming families to take part in each location. Participants receive free business skills and environmental management training worth £2000 per farm, delivered by expert consultants including Kite, the Andersons Centre and Savills. The training helps farming families to make changes to improve their business and ensure their viability.

For further information, click here and to register your interest, please click here.

Member Offers

Bira Bank Loans - TFA Member Rates

New rates have just been announced for TFA Members. Please click here to view current rates which include a promotional rate for vehicles.

Are You Renewing Your General Farm Insurance Soon?

If so, why not contact the new approved TFA Insurance partner, GRP Group, to see how they can help.

For more details, click here. To arrange for a quotation, please contact the TFA’s Membership Co-ordinator on 0118 930 6130 or email membership@tfa.org.uk.

TFA Member Subscription Offer

Four-week Free Trial Subscription Offer

Farmers Guardian brings you everything you need to know from the world of agriculture. The latest news, politics, innovation, animal health, farming advice, classifieds and more.

A subscription gives you the information you need to maintain a profitable business.
Farmers Guardian is offering a four-week free trial to TFA members when signing up to become a VIP+ subscriber via Direct Debit*.

A VIP+ subscription includes:
• 1st Class home delivery of Farmers Guardian magazine
• Full access to the Farmers Guardian website FGInsight.com
• Use of the Farmers Guardian App
• Grant Checker - Look up and research agriculture grants, loans &
scholarships available to you as a farmer
• Legal Helpdesk - 30 minutes of free legal advice (per legal matter) from a
specialist rural business solicitor
• Downloadable Intelligence Guides
• Access to the Market Prices database
• Digital editions of Arable Farming & Dairy Farmer magazines
• A weekly VIP email with early access to the classified ads
• Discounts on farming goods & services

For more details, and how to subscribe to Farmers Guardian, TFA members can click here or call TFA head office for the current offer code.

*TFA Members pay nothing for 4 weeks, then £35.75 per quarter thereafter. This offer expires 31 March 2021.

TFA Working For You

What You Need To Know...

Each week, the TFA works for your benefit. This includes giving interviews, writing articles and media releases, lobbying Government, meeting landlords and working with other farming organisations and professional bodies. The following have been uploaded to www.TFA.org.uk for you to view.

TFA Blog

#17 – Free Family Farm Business Support Worth £2000 Available Through The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme

MEMBERS ONLY AREA. Please note: Members will need to log into their TFA account before they can access details from the links below.

TFA Member Exclusive Blog

#16 – More Farming Businesses to be Caught Under HMRC’s MTD Extension

Business and Tenancy Opportunities

Yard and Buildings Available in Kent With Additional Pasture Land if Required on Flexible Terms

110 Acres of Land (Arable and Pasture) in Derbyshire Available From September 2020 for an Initial 2 Year FBT

26 Acres of Arable Land Available in Wiltshire From October 2020 on a 2 Year FBT

60 Acre Grassland Farm in Kerry, Powys is Available From October 2020 on an 8 Year FBT

207 Acre Livestock Starter Farm in Yorkshire Available on a 5 Year FBT From November 2020

25 Acres of Productive Arable Land in Wye Valley Available From Sept on a 2 Year FBT

158 Acres of Grassland Units Available in Two Lots Nr Lockerbie, Scotland From November 2020 on a 10 Year MLDT

366 Acre Starter Farm in Scotland on a 10 Year MLDT From November 2020

269 Acre Upland Livestock Farm in Nr Hexham is Available on a 10 Year FBT From Oct 2020

Share Farm Opportunity in Devon

16 Acres of Arable Land (2 blocks) Nr Boroughbridge on a 2 Year FBT from Autumn 2020

39 Acres of Grassland in Derbyshire Available from Oct 2020 for 1 Year

Mixed Farm Share Farm or Management Contract Available on the Isle of Man Ideal for New Entrant

Potential starter unit (Tenancy/Share Farming Opportunity) on the edge of Exmoor

150 Acre Organic Farm in Shropshire is looking for a Stock Farmer Business Partner – Flexible Investment Options Available

Dairy Share Farming opportunity near Cheltenham

225 Acre Livestock Holding in Cornwall Seeks Progressive Farmer with New Business Ideas

And Finally....

Get Involved! TFA Rent Benchmarking

The TFA Rent Databank provides a valuable benchmarking tool, allowing members to make rent comparisons. Our Rent Databank is only as good as the information provided by our TFA members.

If you have recently agreed on a rent on any land that you farm, whether it be an increase, decrease or a standstill, please remember to submit the details to the TFA Rent Databank. This can be found in the members area of tfa.org.uk by clicking here, or by phoning the office on 0118 930 6130.

Remember, it's completely confidential. Only summary information will be presented online, so your farm cannot be individually identified. Further information is only shared with your permission.