The Rural Bulletin: 30th July 2018
A summary of the latest news and issues affecting rural landowners and businesses brought to you by Knight Frank.
2 minutes to read
Future of renewables up for consultation
The Feed -in- Tariff (FiT) will close to new applicants in April 2019, with no plans for a replacement scheme announced the Government this week.
The FiT supports small scale renewable energy projects however, from 1 April 2019, new applications will no longer be accepted, though existing contracts will continue.
As a result the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) have called for evidence on future options for small scale low carbon energy generation.
CAP replaced with public goods subsidies confirms Theresa May
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be replaced with a new policy whereby farmers receive subsidies based on public goods in a ‘green Brexit’. The plans will be set out by Prime Minister Theresa May when she visits the Royal Welsh Show on the 26 July.
She is expected to set out a new policy that works for farmers and producers that is based on improving the environment.
Mrs May said: “Leaving the EU presents us with a unique opportunity to transform our food, farming and environmental policies so we can have a healthy and prosperous agricultural industry that is fit for the future, and helps us to leave the environment in a better place than we found it.
"Scrapping the Common Agricultural Policy and introducing a simpler system which provides funds in return for public goods, like improving water quality, reducing emissions and planting wild flower meadows to boost biodiversity, is fundamental to our new approach.”.
Harvest begins in Scotland
The winter barley harvest has begun in some areas of Scotland with quality better than expected but variable yields.
The quality has been good with some barley reaching bushel weights of 70kg/hl and low moisture of 15-17%. However, the yields have been slightly disappointing and there are concerns over spring sown crops.
It is expected that winter oats and oilseed rape will soon be ready to cut - around a week earlier than normal.
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