New agroforestry actions have been announced for Countryside Stewardship (CS) and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). These supplement the existing agroforestry offers already available through both the English Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) and current CS options. They provide farmers and landowners with greater flexibility when incorporating...

Our annual grass let auction will be held at 1pm on Thursday 4th April 2024 at Penrith Auction Mart. The catalogue can be viewed below: Download PDF File Here

The Basic Payment Scheme and Entitlements are now a thing of the past and, as of the 1st January 2024, the new payment regime came into force and going forward, all subsidy monies will be paid under the Delinked Payment Scheme. As has been written about before, all BPS claimants will have been awarded a Delinked payment and this has been calculated...

In a recent address at the Norfolk Farming Conference, Mark Spencer, the farming minister, provided insight into the future direction of agricultural subsidy allocation. While echoing the emphasis of the importance of balancing food production with environmental protection, which was the message from the Oxford Farming Conference at the beginning o...

 The 25th March marks Lady Day – Feast of the Annunciation and more relevantly the first quarter day of the year. Traditionally, on quarter days tenants paid their rents to landlords and this is perhaps a timely reminder that with most agricultural tenancy agreements, notices of end of tenancy or indeed rent reviews are time critical. If you a...

 After Secretary of State Steve Barclay's, recent announcement at the Oxford Farming Conference, referred to by DEFRA as 'the biggest upgrades' to the UK farming scheme since leaving the European Union, we revisit some of the key headlines and highlight what farmers and landowners should be aware of in the upcoming 2024 scheme year. Key Headli...

The Energy Act 2023 received Royal Assent at the end of October with the aim being to lay the foundations for an energy system fit for the future. This is the most significant piece of energy legislation since 2013 and will doubtless be followed a raft of secondary legislation to set the detail behind it. This enormous undertaking by Government wil...

We reported recently on the new Energy Act 2023, and a matter of days later, the Levelling UP and Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent on the 2nd November and is now an Act. It has been 17 months in the making and is now law. Having said that, as always with new legislation, it will require a raft of consultations followed by secondary legislati...

PFK are pleased to have been granted detailed planning approval to develop their own land at Mile Lane for their new Head Office facility. Andrew Green, Managing Director, confirmed "We are delighted to have worked closely with the newly formed planning department at Westmorland and Furness Council in achieving a great result that will enable us to...

Over the last two months, we have offered a Cumbrian hill farm to let as a complete unit on a ten year Farm Business Tenancy. This is an attractive family farm, and as we now go through the shortlist and interview process to finally find the successful tenant, it is interesting to reflect that in spite of the changes in support structures and gener...

At long last we find ourselves in a position whereby the long awaited 2023 SFI scheme has been opened for applications.  The scheme itself opened to applicants on 18th September but currently the only people who are permitted to apply are those who have been invited by the RPA. The RPA are currently working on a controlled roll out of the sche...

Non-Executive Director at PFK Robert Craig, where he contributes towards the growth of the Rural Department of business has been appointed as the new Chair of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF). At the associations October Chairman's meeting on the 3rd October, Robert, the previous Vice Chair, started his three year tenure, taki...

According to Forestry Commission figures, 46% of English woodland is unmanaged or under managed. Woodland Management Plans (WMPs) are pivotal tools for sustainable woodland management. They provide clear guidelines for landowners and managers, ensuring a balanced approach to economic, ecological, and social aspects. In this article, we'll explore t...

 Over the past year at PFK Rural, we have experienced a notable increase in inquires from both existing and new Clients regarding utility companies' requests for access to landowners' property to perform various works. Simply put, it is critical for landowners to be well-informed about their rights when it comes to utility companies. Whether i...

PFK Rural's Director, Julie Liddle LLM, FRICS, FAAV, MCIArb, has been elected Junior Vice President of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) for 2023/2024 at their AGM in Oxford. Julie is a farmers daughter, raised in County Durham. Her key experience relates predominantly to Landlord and Tenant arrangements (rural and commercial) ...