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.
19.02.2020 – Western Morning News – Claims need not be complicated
The application period is now open for agreements to start on the 31st January 2021. These must be submitted by the 31st July 2020. Last week we discussed the variety of options available under the Countryside Stewardship scheme, which offers public money for environmentally beneficial land management. However, there is a complex administrative process behind…
Read More 12.02.2020 – Western Morning News – Stewardship agreements can bring a variety of benefits
The application window for 2021 CSS agreements opened on the 11th February. In her speech to the Oxford Farming Conference on the 8th January, DEFRA secretary Theresa Villiers guaranteed that anyone accepting a 2021 agreement will be able to exit without penalty if they move into the New Environmental Land Management Scheme (NELMS) once it…
Read More 15.01.2020 – Western Morning News – Number of factors may influence 2020 entitlement values
Entitlements allow farmers/landowners to claim a payment under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). For each entitlement they own a farmer may claim BPS subsidy for one hectare of eligible land they farm, with the minimum claim being 5 hectares in England. Applications for the BPS can be made online or on paper using a BPS…
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09.01.2020 – JANUARY 2020 NEWSLETTER
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Read More 11.12.2019 – Western Morning News – Manage hedgerows to unlock support payments
Hedges have received legal protection in some form since the Enclosure Acts dating back to the early 17th century. Since then, rules surrounding hedges have gathered increasing complexity. With the current political focus on environmental concerns – especially discussion surrounding “natural capital” – this trend appears likely to continue, and hedgerows properly managed may be…
Read More 06.11.2019 – Western Morning News – Get to grips with water abstraction
There are a variety of reasons why businesses and individuals might need access to water outside of the mains system. Vegetable growers need to irrigate their crops; factories use water for a variety of industrial purposes from cleaning to use as a solvent; utility providers such as power stations require water for cooling; livestock farmers…
Read More 09.10.2019 – Western Morning News – Staying in the know on greening
To download/view article click here What is Greening? In England, there are a number of rules that must be followed to claim BPS. For some, these include a set of three rules intended to promote sustainability and environmental preservation. These are known as the “greening” rules, and are outlined below. Crop Diversification This rule states…
Read More 18.09.2019 – Western Morning News – Class Q Development
Download or view article Class Q is governed primarily by Part 3, Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. This use Class allows the conversion of agricultural buildings to residential dwellings with some limitations. The limitations, amendments and case law surrounding Class Q are varied and sometimes quite…
Read More 29.05.2019 – Western Morning News – BPS CLAIMS – NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE A CLAIM AND CORRECT ERRORS
It is not regularly discussed but you can still make a 2019 BP claim up to the 10th June, and also correct errors on submitted claims. There is a 1% penalty per day on any parcel where an error is notified after the 31st May, but this is not applied to the whole claim. And…
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09.04.19 – 2019 UK BPS ENTITLEMENT TRADING UPDATE
ENGLISH ENTITLEMENTS – TRADING UPDATE English Non-SDAThe market currently is still not in full flow however there is steady trade at £125-140 plus VAT, depending on lot size. Non-VAT sales, if you have a non-VAT buyer, can achieve say 10% more. Therefore sellers who are still expecting to achieve sales at the £150-160 level are…
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