Payment timings for Mid/Higher Tier

[yellow belly]

They need to get on
I got my claim form for mid tier claim today
The on line system also has a claim set up
You could look at that to see if they have your claim on the Rpa’s online system below bps claims

 

[Two Tone]

It is a difficult one to know how to play NE. Do you get cross with them or try keep calm and thank them for their help?

It must be very hard for the staff at NE, not knowing how long their jobs will last and if they will be transferred to RPA or not. But I have to say that there are some very helpful (mostly women) staff at NE who genuinely are trying to help and will do so if you treat them with respect. There are also some (mostly men IME) who just give you the run around to get you off the phone asap!

Fortunately for me, I found 2 very good ones at Worcester and one of them telephoned me this afternoon to say that they had successfully concluded all the checks and that they had forwarded our MTS claim onto RPA for immediate payment. Also to check the bank account in 10 days and report back to her if the payment hadn't arrived. What more can you ask?

There is no doubt that when people are genuinely trying to help you, it pays to genuinely thank them for doing so. But I just wonder if it was this farm's threat as shown in 3. of post #174 of this thread, the fact that the email I sent also got Cc'd to James Cross (head honcho of NE) and a local MP. Also quoting Michael Gove's OFC bit as follows:
The ways in which we provide financial support to farmers have been far too bureaucratic – not helped by the ludicrous rules and red tape of the CAP that Defra must try to enforce.
The Rural Payments Agency has historically taken far too long to get money from Government to farmers.
And the Countryside Stewardship schemes we have run have been dizzyingly complex to apply for – I have made my views on this clear.
All this when it’s our stated aim to allocate more funding for agri-environment schemes.
And the fact that I gave them 7 days to respond, or we plough the whole lot up and plant it with Spring Barley!

I'll never know. But what or whichever it was seems to have worked. And despite the fact that it is over 3 months late, I thank them for it.

 

[steveR]

It is a difficult one to know how to play NE. Do you get cross with them or try keep calm and thank them for their help?

The ways in which we provide financial support to farmers have been far too bureaucratic – not helped by the ludicrous rules and red tape of the CAP that Defra must try to enforce.
The Rural Payments Agency has historically taken far too long to get money from Government to farmers.
And the Countryside Stewardship schemes we have run have been dizzyingly complex to apply for – I have made my views on this clear.
All this when it’s our stated aim to allocate more funding for agri-environment schemes.
And the fact that I gave them 7 days to respond, or we plough the whole lot up and plant it with Spring Barley!

I'll never know. But what or whichever it was seems to have worked. And despite the fact that it is over 3 months late, I thank them for it.

Bloody well done that man. Needed a clapping Hands icon there for that level of success.

 

[Feldspar]

@Two Tone, I am very pleased to hear that you have got a result. Very interesting that your tenacity has paid off. I too have been having some involved conversations with NE over the last few weeks. I have to say, they have been very helpful, even if I have not always got the answer I was hoping for. Unlike the RPA, where I understand they will not give you their name or direct line, at least with NE you can speak to the same person twice.

 

[Crabtree]

It is a difficult one to know how to play NE. Do you get cross with them or try keep calm and thank them for their help?

It must be very hard for the staff at NE, not knowing how long their jobs will last and if they will be transferred to RPA or not. But I have to say that there are some very helpful (mostly women) staff at NE who genuinely are trying to help and will do so if you treat them with respect. There are also some (mostly men IME) who just give you the run around to get you off the phone asap!

Fortunately for me, I found 2 very good ones at Worcester and one of them telephoned me this afternoon to say that they had successfully concluded all the checks and that they had forwarded our MTS claim onto RPA for immediate payment. Also to check the bank account in 10 days and report back to her if the payment hadn't arrived. What more can you ask?

There is no doubt that when people are genuinely trying to help you, it pays to genuinely thank them for doing so. But I just wonder if it was this farm's threat as shown in 3. of post #174 of this thread, the fact that the email I sent also got Cc'd to James Cross (head honcho of NE) and a local MP. Also quoting Michael Gove's OFC bit as follows:
The ways in which we provide financial support to farmers have been far too bureaucratic – not helped by the ludicrous rules and red tape of the CAP that Defra must try to enforce.
The Rural Payments Agency has historically taken far too long to get money from Government to farmers.
And the Countryside Stewardship schemes we have run have been dizzyingly complex to apply for – I have made my views on this clear.
All this when it’s our stated aim to allocate more funding for agri-environment schemes.
And the fact that I gave them 7 days to respond, or we plough the whole lot up and plant it with Spring Barley!

I'll never know. But what or whichever it was seems to have worked. And despite the fact that it is over 3 months late, I thank them for it.

Sincerely hope you get the payment as promised.
I too would like to enter the scheme in quite a big way, as we will finish in another agreement in August, this thread however is very off-putting but at least we have a few months before committing, and hopefully the first entrants to mid tier will see their commitment rewarded soon !

 

[Two Tone]

Sincerely hope you get the payment as promised.
I too would like to enter the scheme in quite a big way, as we will finish in another agreement in August, this thread however is very off-putting but at least we have a few months before committing, and hopefully the first entrants to mid tier will see their commitment rewarded soon !

I not only hope, but genuinely think it will get better as time goes on. A year ago we were waiting to hear if we had an MTS agreement or not. The reason it was taking so long was because the Government, in its wisdom had made many of the NE staff redundant to save cost! Then had to take on new staff and train them up. I'm sure this has lead to this year's late payment situation too.

But, if Mr Gove can keep his word, especially this bit:
On Countryside Stewardship, I want schemes simplified to the extent that any farmer - any farmer - can complete an application in a working day. Starting at the computer after breakfast the whole process has to be able to be finished by six o’clock when it will be time for a well-deserved pint.
Which in itself bodes for not only a simpler application process, but a simpler checking and quicker payment system too. So despite your reservations having read this thread, I think you should not lose heart and apply.

 

[bankrupt]

I gave them 7 days to respond, or we plough the whole lot up and plant it with Spring Barley!

Thank goodness they took you seriously, Two Tone.

And haven't been monitoring TFF too closely.



ZXR17

Drying up nicely now , must go and get the drill on before it gets wet again

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ZXR17, Today at 11:07 AM
#68

 

[Two Tone]

Thank goodness they took you seriously, Two Tone.

And haven't been monitoring TFF too closely.



ZXR17

Drying up nicely now , must go and get the drill on before it gets wet again

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ZXR17, Today at 11:07 AM
#68

I bet they do monitor TFF! Which is why we must be accurate in what we say on here. I'd like them to regard it as "constructive criticism".

I also mentioned as a sub-note in post #174, what would happen if the press found out about any possible threat to a wildlife project being ploughed up because Government was taking too long to pay farmers? Or even worse, the RSPB!

Could somebody from NE, Defra and/or RPA have seen it and very quickly pulled their fingers out?

Because in reality, that would have been my next line of attack if NE hadn't genuinely tried so hard for us.
So my advice is try the nice way first and if all else fails consider joining the RSPB......................!

 

[Flat 10]

This is giving me the jitters. Waiting to hear if our application has been successful, but not sure if I want to bother if it comes through as my options include quite a bit of costly seed and forgone income, that as a tenant, I cant afford to not get paid on.

Snap. Wondering about binning off this years application and going into next year's simpler scheme.

 

[Two Tone]

@Two Tone, I am very pleased to hear that you have got a result. Very interesting that your tenacity has paid off. I too have been having some involved conversations with NE over the last few weeks. I have to say, they have been very helpful, even if I have not always got the answer I was hoping for. Unlike the RPA, where I understand they will not give you their name or direct line, at least with NE you can speak to the same person twice.

@Feldspar, There is a way you can get to speak to the same person at RPA. You have to become an "Agent" rather than just the farmer. You can do this by acting as an agent for any other farm other than your own and at the same time acting as your own agent (but you need to be an agent for somebody else at the same time too). I am an agent by doing it this way, when dealing with RPA. Also, farm managers who deal with all BPS matters (including filling in the BPS application forms) for RPA, can only do so by becoming an Agent for the farms they manage.

By becoming an Agent, this will allow you to have a dedicated contact at RPA (with a direct email address) who will deal with things for you and keep you up to date.

However, I absolutely have to agree with you that NE staff are so much easier to deal with. You get a direct dial phone number and an email address.

 

[WRXppp]

@Feldspar, There is a way you can get to speak to the same person at RPA. You have to become an "Agent" rather than just the farmer. You can do this by acting as an agent for any other farm other than your own and at the same time acting as your own agent (but you need to be an agent for somebody else at the same time too). I am an agent by doing it this way, when dealing with RPA. Also, farm managers who deal with all BPS matters (including filling in the BPS application forms) for RPA, can only do so by becoming an Agent for the farms they manage.

By becoming an Agent, this will allow you to have a dedicated contact at RPA (with a direct email address) who will deal with things for you and keep you up to date.

However, I absolutely have to agree with you that NE staff are so much easier to deal with. You get a direct dial phone number and an email address.

Here’s the rub will the direct dealing with a person disappear if or when NE gets absorbed by the RPA, I can deal with NE myself the way it is set up at the moment, leave the agent to deal with the RPA!
Mind you rang up yesterday for a derogation for the sowing of the ‘undersown spring cereal’ date to be in by because of the monsoon conditions and I might as well of been ordering an Indian takeaway for the sense I was getting.

 

[Feldspar]

Does anyone know exactly what commitments have been made on guaranteed funding for Mid Tier agreements starting in 2019? As far as I see it, the overall ag budget has been protected until 2024, but has there been any specific commitments on Mid Tier? There was a call for Gove to guarantee funding (https://www.caav.org.uk/docs/151217 Gove guarantee press release.pdf), but did he respond?

 

[yellow belly]

Does anyone know exactly what commitments have been made on guaranteed funding for Mid Tier agreements starting in 2019? As far as I see it, the overall ag budget has been protected until 2024, but has there been any specific commitments on Mid Tier? There was a call for Gove to guarantee funding (https://www.caav.org.uk/docs/151217 Gove guarantee press release.pdf), but did he respond?

Not heard but the number of applications is less than expected the competition element in the system does not exist because every one who puts in an application gets in if the want to some giving up because of delays
All The money they have allocated will not get spent at current rate of use
Every year Les and his schemes run out and don’t get renewed
Modulation for the stewardship from the bps keeps adding money
After 2019 capping of bps will add more to the pot so cannot see how they are going to spend all the money they have allocated
After the next election the rule may change due to a change of government

 

[Charlie--chalk]

Anyone received anything for a 2017 higher tier start date?

 

[DRC]

Anyone still waiting to hear if your 2017 mid tier has been accepted. You know, the one that should’ve started last January 1st.

 

[Martyn]

Anyone still waiting to hear if your 2017 mid tier has been accepted. You know, the one that should’ve started last January 1st.

Nothing Nothing Nothing! We are waiting for argreement for organic converstion starting 1st of Jan

 

[connor454545]

Anyone still waiting to hear if your 2017 mid tier has been accepted. You know, the one that should’ve started last January 1st.

Still waiting here. Rang up in Feb was told would know by March...

 

[DRC]

Still waiting here. Rang up in Feb was told would know by March...

I was told the same, which march I wonder.

 

[Shutesy]

Anyone still waiting to hear if your 2017 mid tier has been accepted. You know, the one that should’ve started last January 1st.

Yup, its starting to affect cropping plans which in turn is affecting fert and seed ordering!!

 

[bobk]

Anyone still waiting to hear if your 2017 mid tier has been accepted. You know, the one that should’ve started last January 1st.

You haven't had a start date yet , when do you think you'll get paid