In today’s podcast, we discuss the opening of the claim window for existing Countryside Stewardship revenue and Environmental Stewardship agreements, delinked payments, RPA’s shows and events schedule and the new round of Farming Equipment and Technology Fund Grants. We also have an interview with Marie Hardeman, RPA’s Customer Director, who talks about her year into the role and improvements in Customer Services. 

Item 1:

Gregg Bulman a Countryside Stewardship Processing manager, runs us through Opening of the claim window for existing Countryside Stewardship revenue and Environmental Stewardship agreements and delinked payments·  

• The claim window for existing Countryside Stewardship (CS) revenue and Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements has opened on 14 March 2024. 
• All farmers must submit a claim or annual declaration for CS and ES before 15 May to receive payment for works carried out through the schemes in 2024 without a reduction. The final deadline for submitting a claim with reduction is 2 September. 
• In 2023 the RPA supplemented the existing online claim process for CS with a more straightforward annual declaration option in cases where no changes are required. This will still be available in the Rural Payments service for 2024, with farmers able to generate and submit an automated revenue claim without needing to complete each section of the claim form. 

Item 2:

In our second section, we speak with Katie Yon from RPA’s shows and events team, about the range of shows and events the team will be visiting this year and what visitors to the RPA stand can expect.
Please come and visit RPA at Agricultural Shows across the country.

Item 3:

• In our third section, we speak to Caitlin Smith from RPA’s Grants Service team, who  talks to us about the new round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.
• Grants for productivity and slurry management items are available now. The deadline to apply is midday 17 April 2024. Farmers, foresters, growers and contractors to those sectors can apply. 
• You can apply for one grant from each of the 3 themes. The fund is competitive. Successful applicants will receive a grant of: 
  • a minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £50,000 towards productivity items
  • a minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £50,000 towards slurry items
  • a minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £25,000 towards animal health and welfare items
• We will pay a percentage of the cost depending on the item. For many items, this percentage is an increase on last year. This funding will go towards either: 
  • the average cost of the item – if an item costs you the same or more than the expected average cost in the item list
  • the actual cost you pay for the item – if an item costs you less than the expected average cost in the item list
• Read

The RPA Podcast is an opportunity to engage with farmers and land managers in a new way, and we encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions of particular topics that you’d like us to cover with our subject experts. You can e-mail us at External.Affairs@rpa.gov.uk.

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