News
Hugh Townsend has for 25 years been the country's "go-to" commentator on farm quotas and rural surveying issues affecting farmers. Having become the country's leading and most innovative quota agent he was broadcast to 3.8 million listeners on Radio 4's PM programme interviewed by Eddie Mayer on the 1st April 2015 – the Dawning of Europe without Milk Quotas, click here. More recently BBC1 interviewed Hugh Townsend on the future of farming following the Referendum, click here.
Hugh Townsend has over the years developed the most creative arrangements to promote an efficient market in farm quotas, in the early eighties developing leasing milk quota without land before the Milk Marketing Board introduced leasing for a part of the milk year.
He represented clients in leading legal cases defending transfers of milk quota and developed the new system of second TQ1 forms protecting the transfer of quotas with land.
In 1991, with Farmers Weekly he produced the first sale price index countrywide and started to publish farm quota sales and leasing graphs which are still published by Farmers Weekly and other publications and can be seen on our Milk Quota & Entitlements pages.
On BBC television he has defended dairy farmers who have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous inpiduals in the farm quota market and was again on television to comment on the "footballers buy milk quota" rumpus.
He regularly writes for Farmers Guardian and the South West's Western Morning News and our experienced team is sought after for their comments on farm quotas.
1.12.20 – English Government launches the path to sustainable farming: an agricultural transition plan 2021 to 2024
On the 30th November 2020, following the Agriculture Act 2020 receiving Royal Assent on 11th November, DEFRA published two new documents setting out their intentions for the future of agricultural grants and subsidies in England during the agricultural transition. The publications detail these changes over a relatively long timescale, up until 2024, so we cannot…
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1.12.2020 – Western Morning News – Telecoms leases under the Electronic Communications Code
As the 5G rollout continues to intensify, so too will the numbers of farmers and landowners with telecommunications masts on their holdings. This means that the laws governing leases for this kind of equipment will only become more important. Like agricultural tenancies, telecoms leases are governed by their own specific legislation. This is known as…
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FREE CHRISTMAS PRIZE DRAW
1ST PRIZE – FREE PLANNING ADVICE FOR A FARM BUILDING CLASS Q APPLICATION – 21ST DECEMBER To celebrate Christmas and the New Year Townsend Chartered Surveyors is offering a prize for anyone with a farm building they would like to convert for residential use. If you win this draw, we will assist you in preparing…
Read More 2020 TCS Brokerage UK Market Report
Update for BPS entitlement, carbon and water trading for 2020. To download /view the 2020 TCS Brokerage UK Market Report click here
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Fact Sheet 6 – UK Woodland Carbon Code – Guidance notes
To download/view click here 1 Decided to plant? First select the site. This is an important decision, as the land chosen affects the tree species that can be planted, how quickly they will grow, how expensive they will be to harvest and whether you will need to protect them from livestock, deer or squirrels, all…
Read More Fact Sheet 5 – Woodland Carbon – Post-planting options
To download/view click here
Read More Fact Sheet 4 – Woodland Carbon – Pre-planting options
To download/view click here
Read More Carbon Trading after Covid-19
Governments around the world are focused on economic recovery after the devastating impact of coronavirus. A ‘green recovery’ is very much the buzz phrase. Potential carbon taxes are mooted and those looking to establish woodland, and trade carbon units may benefit from establishment grants. The UK is set to launch its own Emissions Trading Scheme…
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BPS errors and penalties
Many BPS applicants will not start to consider the payment they hope to imminently receive until the autumn. This may also be a useful time however, to review what has been submitted this year and check that everything is still correct. Here we look at how the penalty system works. Errors Obvious Errors If whilst…
Read More Pocket Guide – Nitrate Vulnerable Zones
Introduction to Nitrate Vulnerable Zones A Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) is an area at risk of pollution from nitrates due to agricultural activity. The areas are designated by DEFRA and include approximately 55% of land in England. If your holding is in such a zone then the use of nitrogen fertilisers and storage of organic…
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