News
For over 38 years, Hugh Townsend has been the country's "go-to" commentator on farm quotas and intangible assets sold off-farm. 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.In 2016, BBC1 interviewed Hugh Townsend on the future of farming following the Referendum, click here. In 2021 he published the first book of its type “the UK Environmental Credits User Guide” , and more recently in 2024 ITV filmed at one of our BNG Habitat Banks which was broadcast on Monday 3rd June (click here) To view the uncut footage of the interview click here
Hugh Townsend developed the most creative arrangements to promote an efficient market in farm quotas, in the early eighties, including leasing milk quota without land, before the Milk Marketing Board introduced leasing for a part of the milk year. He has represented clients in leading court and arbitration cases successfully defending transfers of milk quota, and developed the new system of second TQ1 forms protecting the transfer of quotas with land.
In 1991, Farmers Weekly published the first sale price index from Hugh Townsend, countrywide, and started to publish farm quota sales and leasing graphs, which can be seen on our Milk Quota & Entitlements pages. Prices for intangible assets are still published weekly from this UK leading Brokerage House.
On BBC television, he has defended dairy farmers who have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals in the farm quota market, and was again on television to comment on the "footballers buy milk quota" rumpus.
In 1990, the firm held the first auction of sheep and beef quota making the market in these new intangible assets and is still the leading BPS entitlement broker in the UK regions following England abolishing their scheme in 2023.
The firm also now sells Biodiversity Net Gain and Nutrient Neutrality units, Woodland and Peatland Carbon, in addition to Water Abstraction Licenses, and holds National Sales by tender every six weeks.
16.12.2020 – Welsh Agriculture Bill – White Paper – BPS payment in full 2021 & 2022
On Wednesday 16th December the Welsh Government announced a white paper for the Agriculture (Wales) Bill. The Bill is expected to be published in 2022 with the legislative framework coming into effect from 2023. This Bill will govern future support for Welsh agriculture, provide regulatory reform, encourage forestry and woodland creation and improve animal health…
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16.12.2020 – Western Morning News – It may be time to revisit woodland planting
Much has been made of the upcoming reductions to agricultural subsidies. BPS is to fall by 25% for the largest claimants next year, with further reductions to follow. The popular RDPE Growth Fund and Countryside Productivity Scheme have now closed for new applicants and very little is currently known about the Farming Investment Fund set to…
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11.12.2020 – Farmers Weekly – Exit payments: What should farmers do to prepare for 2022?
To download/view article click here
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11.11.2020 – AUTUMN 2020 NEWSLETTER
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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…
Read More 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
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