Barbers Rural News

The Farmers Guardian reports that Muller has cut standard litre milk prices for April by 1.35 ppl, suggesting that there will be unprecedented levels of farm milk production during the Spring, coupled with a weak market demand.

This announcement, which effectively takes prices to 20.36 ppl comes amid a raft of cuts from the UK's major milk processors.  First Milk and Dairy Crest have announced changes to farmgate milk prices and Arla has handed 12 months' notice to direct supply...

Last month an article in the local paper claimed that Shropshire farmers are “hanging on by the skin of their teeth amid the continued crisis gripping the industry”.  At the same time a poignant article in the Business Clinic section of the Farmers Weekly (15/01/16) rightly reports that whilst a business may not be damaged in the short term by lack of profits, lack of cash can, and probably will, have a devastating effect.

Although payments from the Basic Payment Scheme have now...

Harriet Jones – Harper Student at Large!

Born and raised in the Newport area, the reputation of the Harper Adams culture was well known to me!  It seemed the obvious place to study Rural Estate and Land Management as the countryside is  my passion and the work of a Chartered Surveyor, particularly the valuation aspect of the work, has  always been of interest to me.  I was delighted to be offered a place at this prestigious university but the  thought...

Rural Payments Agency – Where are we up to?
The new Basic Payment Scheme replaced the old Single Farm Payment Scheme earlier this year although there seemed to be very little ‘basic’ about the administration of it!  The Rural Payments Agency claim to be on track to commence making payments under the scheme in December with a promise of 30,000 farmers being paid on 1st December, although as I write I have not heard of any cheques arriving on farm.  Payments are likely...