Last week Farmers Weekly asked me for my top tips on getting ready for BPS, and this is what I told them…
1. Get ready for Greening: Consult info online, DEFRA documents, agents, bespoke services, such as greening calculators. Make sure that you are geared up to comply with the relevant parts of greening that affect you
2. Look at your entitlements: look at how much land you can claim on and how many entitlements you have. Do you have a surplus or shortfall, do you need to buy or sell? The deadline to transfer SPS entitlements for them to morph in to BPS entitlements is 21 October 2014. You will be able to transfer entitlements and land after this, but we don’t know how the process will work or what the deadlines will be. Doing it before 21 October ensures using a system that you already understand
3. Sort out your Stewardship: letters about ELS/OELS have started dropping on door mats, these tell you about whether you have a double funding issue and the options you can take. Look out for the letter and take action if necessary
4. New online system: Get ready for the new online system software wise / get someone lined up to do it for you, e.g. agent. There will be no off-line options, you will have to communicate with the RPA using the new electronic system or by phone. Even if you already complete your returns online, you will have to re-register. It is an entirely new system that will affect all RPA customers.
5. Keep up to date: There are lots of ways to keep abreast with what’s happening and when new info is released, e.g. DEFRA site, Farmers Weekly magazine, and my blog!
Read the full article here:
If you have any BPS questions, drop me a line.
JP
@blondeagadvisor
http://www.berrybros.com/
https://blondeagadvisor.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @blondeagadvisor
Blonde Ag Advisor 