A helping hand

COUNTRYSIDE organisations have welcomed the news that farmers will receive half of the 2022 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) by the end of July. Defra has brought part of the payment forward to help the agricultural sector cope with rising costs, but the split into two biannual instalments is set to remain in place until the BPS ends in 2027.

Both the CLA’S Mark Tufnell and the NFU’S David Exwood found it encouraging that Defra recognised the pressures facing the farming sector and stepped in to alleviate them. However, Mr Exwood also believes ‘it’s crucial that this change does not adversely affect the delivery and promptness of payments. We will be looking for reassurances from the Rural Payments Agency that it will continue its strong delivery performance, ensuring farmers receive their payments as early as possible on both occasions’.