Consultant or agent payment for SFI and CS?

[chaffcutter]

In amongst the smoke and mirrors of the discussion @Clive had with Janet at Cereals there was mention of a payment for consultant or agent assistance to help sort the interelationship betweem CS and SFI. Does anyone know how to claim this? It doesn't appear to be mentioned anywhere in any of the online info.

Maybe still to be announced with the other new payments shortly?

 

[Tamar]

..........and that proves how complicated the whole process is........ DEFRA making a payment available as it's too complicated for a farmer to do the paperwork !!

 

[Steevo]

..........and that proves how complicated the whole process is........ DEFRA making a payment available as it's too complicated for a farmer to do the paperwork !!

But it's too complicated for the farmer to claim the payment for the agent....

 

[HallFarmBill]

So that means I'll be able to be a consultant to myself and claim some money for thinking about filling the application in?

 

[Clive]

As I said at cereals - Sfi is pretty simple and CSS is pretty simple

the BIG complexity is how they work together and you don't fall foul of double claiming etc

What we would like (if free consultancy is available ?) is someone to check what we have planned and let us know its i compliant

 

[topground]

What we would like (if free consultancy is available ?) is someone to check what we have planned and let us know its i compliant

That is what the RPA should do. Most other enforcement bodies like Environmental Health will approve proposals before work starts. No reason the RPA shouldn’t do the same thing rather than putting money in the pockets of consultants. It is the RPA who are judge and jury in their own court so they must be prepared to prior approve.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

That is what the RPA should do. Most other enforcement bodies like Environmental Health will approve proposals before work starts. No reason the RPA shouldn’t do the same thing rather than putting money in the pockets of consultants. It is the RPA who are judge and jury in their own court so they must be prepared to prior approve.

The RPA staff have been cut significantly so that won't happen.
I really cannot see how they are going to be able to verify these claims once they start coming in.
There is the potential for some very grey areas, for instance:-

An example, I have 100 ha in CS which is designated for Wintering Waders. This has been in the same scheme for many years and the main condition is to reduce stocking rates in the winter and have a grass cover.
Not to blanket spray with herbicides etc.
There is a proviso that we have a recommended fertiliser management plan across the farm. We do have and don't use any!!

Now can I claim low input, clover rich payments on this?

I asked two Land Agents and one said probably not and the other said go for it and see if they chuck it out!!!!!
I wonder what the answer would be if I asked the RPA?

 

[farmerm]

As I said at cereals - Sfi is pretty simple and CSS is pretty simple

the BIG complexity is how they work together and you don't fall foul of double claiming etc

What we would like (if free consultancy is available ?) is someone to check what we have planned and let us know its i compliant

could they not just have created one scheme that covers it all and avoids any possibility of failing foul of double funding

 

[Swarfmonkey]

could they not just have created one scheme that covers it all and avoids any possibility of failing foul of double funding

That would be far too logical for the bloated, inefficient, and wasteful civil service. As was once explained to me by an ex MoD'er we have at work "the civil service loves complexity. The more complex something is, the more civil servants that are needed to administer it".

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

I know it's been posted somewhere but can't find the list of new options. Or is it just the press release telling everybody how marvelous the new scheme is?

 

[topground]

SFI applications closed as of today until,August. What will the RPA desk jockeys find to fill their days? Or will they be sent home on full pay?

 

[Nearly]

Would ANY consultant or agent offer a guarantee against a claim being rejected due to overlap?
I didn't think so.

 

[Clive]

I know it's been posted somewhere but can't find the list of new options. Or is it just the press release telling everybody how marvelous the new scheme is?

Sustainable farming incentive - handbook for 2023 has been published

Afternoon all, Today we've published a handbook containing all the detailed information about the sustainable farming incentive offer for this year. The handbook is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfi-handbook-for-the-sfi-2023-offer An overview blogpost is here...

thefarmingforum.co.uk

 

[2tractors]

Now can I claim low input, clover rich payments on this?

I asked two Land Agents and one said probably not and the other said go for it and see if they chuck it out!!!!!
I wonder what the answer would be if I asked the RPA?

I would say not as NUM2 legumes on improved grassland is not available on low input land in the table on pg 17.

Overall with the taking out of the original introductory soils at £28/ha and the intermediate at £58/ha it feels that grassland farms have less incentive to take part unless they put some of the arable options on temporary grass.

 

[Green oak]

In all honesty if I was getting £300 tonne for barley and £350 for wheat. I’d probably put some of these flower and bird mixes in for free say 20 hectares over the farm.

 

[Against_the_grain]

What we would like (if free consultancy is available ?) is someone to check what we have planned and let us know its i compliant

Jesus no! I would rather have that money go to actual farmers please

 

[Huno]

In amongst the smoke and mirrors of the discussion @Clive had with Janet at Cereals there was mention of a payment for consultant or agent assistance to help sort the interelationship betweem CS and SFI. Does anyone know how to claim this? It doesn't appear to be mentioned anywhere in any of the online info.

Maybe still to be announced with the other new payments shortly?

You crack on and waste your money on an agent... The best deal you will get out of SFI/CS options based on todays info is £800 per Ha minus costs..
stick to chaffcutting if i were you!!

 

[Huno]

As I said at cereals - Sfi is pretty simple and CSS is pretty simple

the BIG complexity is how they work together and you don't fall foul of double claiming etc

What we would like (if free consultancy is available ?) is someone to check what we have planned and let us know its i compliant

Arable farming is pretty simple?? yes it is...

 

[Huno]

In amongst the smoke and mirrors of the discussion @Clive had with Janet at Cereals there was mention of a payment for consultant or agent assistance to help sort the interelationship betweem CS and SFI. Does anyone know how to claim this? It doesn't appear to be mentioned anywhere in any of the online info.

Maybe still to be announced with the other new payments shortly?

Agents are going to get really rich advising land managers in this new scheme... but only if you engage..

 

[steveR]

In all honesty if I was getting £300 tonne for barley and £350 for wheat. I’d probably put some of these flower and bird mixes in for free say 20 hectares over the farm.

Or even a decent BPS....

Something many of us have done for years. I can no longer afford to do this now....