Fraud warning for farmers
Farming businesses are being warned to stay alert after a spate of scams across the sector. NatWest’s dedicated agriculture team has noticed an increase in enquiries in recent months – among both customers and non bank customers. Ian Burrow, Head of Agriculture and Renewable Energy at NatWest, said: “We’ve been alerted to a scam that […]
£15,000 grants for young farming entrepreneurs in Wales
Young farming entrepreneurs in Wales looking to set up on their own for the first time could be able to claim a grant of up to £15,000 through the Young Entrants Support Scheme (YESS). Alun Davies, the Minister for Natural Resources and Food, has just approved almost £1.8 million to extend the scheme to support […]
Saxon Flexi-Fund delivers strong performance
Grain and Seed specialists Saxon Agriculture based in East Walton, Norfolk have announced their 2013/14 wheat Flexi-Fund results – adding to their record of strong Fund performances over the past 8 years. Despite 3 years of volatile markets, Grain Director Mark Smith has once again secured excellent prices for their committed growers. A key member […]
Low income and lack of capital are growing concerns for young farmers
Young farmers are concerned about low incomes and an inability to save for the future, according to initial findings by The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) and The Farming Community Network (FCN). The survey results mark the launch of a new NFYFC campaign, called Rural+, aimed at highlighting the unique challenges faced by […]
SPS payouts in record breaking performance
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has exceeded its latest domestic Single Payment Scheme (SPS) targets more than two months early. The Agency has now paid £1.61billion to more than 100,650 English farmers and has exceeded targets to pay more than 97 per cent of those eligible and 97 per cent of the fund value by […]
Barclays extends emergency support to customers affected by severe flooding
The recent severe wet weather has been devastating for individuals and businesses alike. Farmland has been especially hard in many areas leading to uncertainty about finances – particularly in cases where insurance claims are taking a long time to settle. Those with loans, for instance, can find themselves in difficulties where cash flow is an […]
Farm income figures highlight fears for the future
“The union is concerned but not really surprised at the 30% cut in farm income figures released yesterday, and the fact that there has been a significant drop across all sectors is a particular worry. “The extraordinary weather last year coupled with the withdrawal of the Tir Mynydd Scheme had a devastating effect on the […]
It’s business as usual for SPS 2014
Justin Chamberlain, the Rural Payments Agency’s Customer Director, said: “As far as SPS 2014 is concerned, it is business as usual for our customers, and farmers can make their applications in the usual way. “I would encourage anyone who has not yet made the move online to do so in 2014. SPS Online is simple, […]
Single Payment Scheme 2013 – Agency makes payments to highest ever number of English farmers on first day
The payments, reaching 92.3 per cent of the RPA’s Single Payment Scheme customers, represent 89.3 per cent of the estimated fund value, £1.48bn in total. Mark Grimshaw, RPA Chief Executive, said: “Today we have delivered nearly £1.5bn on the first banking day of the payment window, £100m more than we did on the same day […]
