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Peter Ridout

August 2023

It is with sadness we record the passing of Peter Ridout on 27th July 2023. Peter had been unwell for some years but throughout this time he retained a positive outlook fighting illness with typical resolve. He will be greatly missed by all at AKC as well as by the many clients and friends made by him over a long career in the farm advisory industry.

Peter joined Denis Carter and AKC in 1973 and had been with the firm for almost 50 years. He became a Partner in AKC in 1998.

Dedicated and hard working Peter often went above and beyond the call of duty in supporting his clients with a personal service. An exceptional professional with a wealth of knowledge of the industry,…

Advance BPS Payments to be made in August

July 2023

After receiving feedback from last years advanced BPS payments, which were made from the end of July and across August, RPA have announced that they will continue to make advanced payments again this year to help farmers and landowners during times of increased pressure on cash flow.

This year, BPS advance payments will be paid on a single day which will be on the 1st August 2023. This amount will be up to 50% of your total BPS payment for 2023, with the remaining balance to be paid in December 2023.

Both payments will reflect the progressive reductions of BPS, as BPS continues to phase out until 2027.

If you would like to understand how these reductions…

Sustainable Farming Incentive - What we know so far

July 2023

The SFI will open in August 2023 for new applicants. The standards have been updated giving farmers a wider offer of options to apply to their farming business. There are now 8 different themes to the scheme giving a total of 23 actions to choose from.

Updates to the scheme since 2022

- An annual Management payment is available to cover participation costs.

- Some SFI Actions can be collocated with some Countryside Stewardship Options in the same parcels or areas of land.

- Shorter agreement lengths that do not require landlord consent to make the scheme more…

AKC welcome new team member: Adam Langford

May 2023

We are delighted to introduce to you the newest member of our team, Adam Langford, who will be our first agri-environmental consultant.

His background and skillset will enable us to provide our clients with additional services, by offering environmental assessments and ecological surveys. Adam will be providing specialist follow up work under the Future Farming Resilience Fund and will help to support all our clients in their transition to working with new land-based schemes.

Adam originally lived in Kent, and has been working for Natural England, following his postgraduate study in Wildlife Conservation. He also has spent time working on fruit farms in the Southeast, in addition to…

The Wiltshire Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute Dinner

May 2023

AKC are supporting the Wiltshire Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute beef dinner on the 25th May

If you are interested in supporting this worthwhile farming charity, see event details.

Save the date - AKC to exhibit at Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show

May 2023

Got a question? Come visit us Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show!

This year, AKC will be exhibiting at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show on the 16th and 17th August.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Location: Turnpike Showground, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 9PL

HMRC changes to VAT penalties and interest

May 2023

HMRC have announced changes to VAT penalties and interest charges.

The new penalties will impact businesses who submit their VAT returns or pay their VAT late. The first monthly returns and payments affected by the penalties are due by 7 March 2023.

The late payment penalties and points-based late submission penalties were introduced from 1 January 2023, replacing the VAT default surcharge, and apply to accounting periods which start on or after that date.

The penalties for late VAT returns also apply to businesses that submit nil returns and repayment returns.

The changes to VAT penalties and interest payments are:

Late…

Preparing for an Environment Agency Visit

May 2023

Have you recently received a letter from the Environment Agency about a potential upcoming inspection?

Following the recruitment of officers across the country many farmers will have recently received a letter from the Environment Agency regarding the likelihood of upcoming farm visits and inspections.

The letters, distributed across ‘target areas’ highlight 4 focus areas that officers will focus on during any inspections:

Slurry, Silage and Agricultural Fuel Oil storage (SSAFO regulations) Nutrient management planning and application records (Farming Rules for Water) Nitrate Vulnerable Zone records (NVZ) General farm recordkeeping

I have received a…

April Update

April 2023

Farming Investment Fund

The farming investment fund is made up of two separate funds and provides grants to improve productivity and bring environmental benefits. These are:

Farming equipment and technology fund (for grants between £1,000 - £25,000) Farming Transformation Fund (for grants between £25,000 and £500,000)

Farming Equipment and Technology Fund – Animal Health and Welfare Items

If you are wishing to apply for grant funded items under the Animal Health and Welfare Scheme the deadline if 15th June 2023. Submit your application online using the Animal Health and Welfare portal here Farming Equipment…

Available grants in 2023

March 2023

2023 Grants

Below is a brief summary of each of the grants available in 2023, which in total is providing £168 million of available funding.

If you require assistance with the following grants and competitions, feel free to contact us on 01380 724687 or email us at info@akcagric.co.uk.

Grants to Support Farming in Protected Landscapes:

Offered through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, grants are available to farmers located within Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Parks, and the Broads.

These grants are available to support nature recovery, reduce impact of…

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