Businesses in the rural sector, whether farming or otherwise, are now highly regulated. Paul Rice, with his public sector experience, can offer advice on a range of regulatory matters, including:
- the Single Payment Scheme
- the English Rural Development programme
- livestock issues including milk quotas, OTMS, cattle passports, ear tags and animal identification generally
- Intervention and Private Storage Aid
- producer organisations
Single Payment Scheme
With the advent of this new decoupled scheme we can advise on all issues relating to the above, whether it be on how to deal with payment entitlements on the sale or purchase of property, how they should be dealt with on the dissolution of partnerships or the surrender of leases.
With the SPS being operated by the Government on a new computer system there is plenty of scope for incorrect decisions to be made both in the application and in the administration of payments. We can help in interpreting decisions made by the RPA, challenging those decisions, advising on the results of negative cross compliance inspections and consequential reductions and, where appropriate, assisting in appeals against those decisions and reductions.
For more information go to the RPA SPS home page
Environmental stewardship
As part of CAP reform there will be an increasing shift away from more traditional farm support to agri-environment schemes such as the Entry Level Scheme, Organic Entry Level Scheme, and Higher Level Scheme.
We can advise on the inter-relationship between these and other schemes. In particular, we can ensure that you are aware of what is required of you, that any property transactions, whether sale or lease, take account of your obligations under agreements for these schemes and that any alleged breaches are dealt with in an appropriate way.
For more information go to the Defra ERDP home page
Regulatory issues
With the increasing number of regulations governing the way that life is conducted in the countryside, farmers and rural businessmen are finding themselves increasingly in conflict with neighbours and the authorities enforcing those regulations ranging from the Environment Agency to local authorities.
So whether it is the discharge of slurry to noisy machinery we can advise in all aspects of contentious proceedings, from initial advice, to assisting in interviews under caution through to proceedings in court. (Please note that we do not hold a Legal Aid Franchise).
