Mid Tier Offers

[Two Tone]

That is very unfortunate not to have received your BPS payment yet, although not surprising.

I had submitted a whole load of RLE1 forms. Then, due to receiving conflicting advice from the RPA, had to send a whole load of corrections. Then the RPA changed our maps without telling us (you almost have to login each month to monitor whether or not they have been fiddling around), which prompted lengthy emails. To be fair to them, they have now sorted the mapping issues out. However, due to all the errors with the maps, I thought we'd be one of the last to be paid. As it was we were very surprised to receive ours pretty swiftly. Must be that Christmas hamper I send to them each year.

That reminds of a very funny incident.

A Farmer was in the High Court suing a Chemical manufacturer for damages for ruining his crop.
However his evidence as to how he filled his sprayer wasn't good and he hadn't followed the guidelines.
So while the Judge had retired to ponder all the evidence before deliberating, the Farmer asked his expensive Lawyer what his chances of winning the case were.
The Lawyer shook his head and said that he hadn't got a hope of winning. He had never come across a less deserving case.
So the Farmer asked his Lawyer if he could send the Judge a case of Malt Whiskey would that help?
The lawyer said that this was the last thing he should do because it would be seen as a bribe and that the Farmer would certainly lose.
The next day, everybody was surprised that the Judge pronounced that the Farmer had won his case!
The Lawyer was completely at a loss and dumbfounded as to how the Farmer had won.
The Farmer said he had in fact sent the Judge a case of Whisky with an attached note saying it was from the Chemical manufacturer!

 

[Feldspar]

That reminds of a very funny incident.

A Farmer was in the High Court suing a Chemical manufacturer for damages for ruining his crop.
However his evidence as to how he filled his sprayer wasn't good and he hadn't followed the guidelines.
So while the Judge had retired to ponder all the evidence before deliberating, the Farmer asked his expensive Lawyer what his chances of winning the case were.
The Lawyer shook his head and said that he hadn't got a hope of winning. He had never come across a less deserving case.
So the Farmer asked his Lawyer if he could send the Judge a case of Malt Whiskey would that help?
The lawyer said that this was the last thing he should do because it would be seen as a bribe and that the Farmer would certainly lose.
The next day, everybody was surprised that the Judge pronounced that the Farmer had won his case!
The Lawyer was completely at a loss and dumbfounded as to how the Farmer had won.
The Farmer said he had in fact sent the Judge a case of Whisky with an attached note saying it was from the Chemical manufacturer!

That is hilarious!

 

[L P]

The trouble is also that there aren't enough hungry people about.

Which means they have to come up with these poxy schemes to justify that we get some sort of financial support.

When they introduced the original first (5 year) Set aside scheme, rule number one was:
If MAFF (remember them?) wanted you to return the land back to Agriculture (such as in time of War), could you?

All these poxy schemes would disappear in a puff of smoke if people were hungry again!

So very true, if only it happened

 

[Two Tone]

So very true, if only it happened

Let's go for a hard Brexit, blockade all ports stopping any foreign food coming into this Country and it might!

 

[L P]

My sister writes for farmers weekly, I think it's about time I forward the whole thread to her and see if we can get this publicised, it's a disgrace

 

[Clive]

don't see what it matters really ? the options wouldn't be established until autumn so as long as we know by then it makes little difference to me when they decide if we are in / out ?

 

[Feldspar]

don't see what it matters really ? the options wouldn't be established until autumn so as long as we know by then it makes little difference to me when they decide if we are in / out ?

Some of them need to be established earlier, as per @Two Tone's posts. Luckily ours only need to start being put in after harvest. Have got 1km of hardcore track that is meant to be being done this year. Not going to start that until I have a signed agreement, but would like to start moving with it when the ground dries up.

 

[L P]

don't see what it matters really ? the options wouldn't be established until autumn so as long as we know by then it makes little difference to me when they decide if we are in / out ?

But if you had a mid year inspection on any environmental bits which you hadn't done you would be fined or thrown out before you'd even been offered it officially? Do you not see that as somewhat flawed?!

 

[Clive]

But if you had a mid year inspection on any environmental bits which you hadn't done you would be fined or thrown out before you'd even been offered it officially? Do you not see that as somewhat flawed?!

in our case it wouldn't matter as there is nothing to establish until autumn but from @Feldspar post I can see what others need to know sooner

maybe they should prioritise those applications and not worry about less urgent ones like mine

 

[Clive]

Some of them need to be established earlier, as per @Two Tone's posts. Luckily ours only need to start being put in after harvest. Have got 1km of hardcore track that is meant to be being done this year. Not going to start that until I have a signed agreement, but would like to start moving with it when the ground dries up.

what was the deal for hardcore track ? I missed that one !

 

[Feldspar]

what was the deal for hardcore track ? I missed that one !

We've got 1.5km of hardcore tracks going in over two years. £33/m which is enough to cover the cost of a contractor putting them in. You have to be in a high priority area for water.

https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/livestock-and-machinery-hardcore-tracks-rp4

TBH at the time I felt a bit guilty about it because I don't think it's good VFM for the taxpayer. We did cut down the length of one track to the more important length for us.

 

[Two Tone]

Some of them need to be established earlier, as per @Two Tone's posts. Luckily ours only need to start being put in after harvest. Have got 1km of hardcore track that is meant to be being done this year. Not going to start that until I have a signed agreement, but would like to start moving with it when the ground dries up.

The other thing is that it will make a difference to what crop and how we fill in our 2017 BPS forms.

I learned something today from NE. They are using a system (or trying to) called SITI agri.
Look it up on Google. There is lots about it. Here is some of it:

If this system works, then it is perfectly possible and reasonable to expect that any Farmer can look at it to check exactly where their claim is in an application process.

Notes and messages can be passed from NE to the Farmer and visa versa using something like the Government Gateway

So why isn't it happening?
Why are we being left in the dark?
What are they (inc RPA) hiding from us?

 

[Two Tone]

Now if you've just seen that video, it's a Bit worrying really isn't it?
Talk about big brother!

Last June, RPA sent several inspectors round lots of farms in South Warwickshire to check what was growing in each and every field. They turned up unannounced and said the reason was that the satellite was unable to distinguish what crop was being grown to check against what the farmers had entered in their 2016 BPS forms.
Presumably because the weather was so bad and it was too cloudy when the satellite was overhead.

None of these farmers, including us have received their BPS payment yet!

It sort of proves the point that RPA is using SITI Agri, doesn't it?

Why oh why is it taking so long for the inspectors reports to confirm the Farmers crops so that we can be paid?


Next time you hear that the NE computers are not working properly, maybe it is because of SITI Agri?

 

[Feldspar]

Now if you've just seen that video, it's a Bit worrying really isn't it?
Talk about big brother!

Last June, RPA sent several inspectors round lots of farms in South Warwickshire to check what was growing in each and every field. They turned up unannounced and said the reason was that the satellite was unable to distinguish what crop was being grown to check against what the farmers had entered in their 2016 BPS forms.
Presumably because the weather was so bad and it was too cloudy when the satellite was overhead.

None of these farmers, including us have received their BPS payment yet!

It sort of proves the point that RPA is using SITI Agri, doesn't it?

Why oh why is it taking so long for the inspectors reports to confirm the Farmers crops so that we can be paid?


Next time you hear that the NE computers are not working properly, maybe it is because of SITI Agri?

Isn't that why they want you to put posts with tops painted white so they can see them on their satellite photos?

 

[Two Tone]

My sister writes for farmers weekly, I think it's about time I forward the whole thread to her and see if we can get this publicised, it's a disgrace

Ask your sister to find out about SITI Agri and print something about in Farmers Weekly.
Natural England are certainly using it. It's a bit worrying!

 

[Flat 10]

What would be very helpful is if we could alter the maps online (in a different colour or something) so they could see where we are disputing easily and recheck with their satellite. I got given 30ha of my neighbours, merged with my 11ha field, emailed explained problem sent maps etc. They now have found the boundary but have given me his half! FFS how thick are they! I haven't been paid for this 11ha, fined an equal amount and not been given young farmer payment. I am savage and now is not a good time to be ringing, emailing as we need to get on with landwork.
Similar issue outstanding from last year. Not a happy bunny.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

No agreement here. Asked for more information around January time.

We've now decided that going forward with this is not a sound idea so won't be signing up to it whenever they can be bothered to send us an agreement.......

 

[Feldspar]

Well............... just had a big fat letter drop on the door mat this morning offering us an agreement.

 

[carpenter1]

Well............... just had a big fat letter drop on the door mat this morning offering us an agreement.

you going for it?

 

[Feldspar]

you going for it?

Yes, definitely.

Will need to check it carefully though for mistakes. Looks OK so far from what I've checked.

 

[carpenter1]

i can only hope, and see if anything drops here