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.
Western Morning News – 12.03.14 – Entitlement surplus? Think about hosting
As many readers will be aware the entitlement markets are now in full swing, however this year has seen a large surplus of Non-SDA entitlements on the market, perhaps not due to a greater quantity of entitlements available this season, but fewer buyers in the market. This has deflated the high prices seen towards the…
Read MoreWestern Morning News – 26.02.14 – Be prepared for 2015 switch to Basic Payment Scheme
The new SPS 2014 RPA Handbook has provided more flesh on the bones for the CAP Reform. As we know the 1st January 2015 will see the Single Payment Scheme come to an end and the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) begin. There are two main points of this transition that will have an impact on…
Read MoreTCS Newsletter – 14.02.14 – February Entitlement Trading Update
non-SDA The entitlement market has seen some dramatic changes in recent weeks. Non-SDA prices have fallen, seeing some market variation between £240 and £265 per unit plus VAT. This reduction has been due to a surplus of entitlements on the market and purchasers holding fast at reduced rates. Vendors are now accepting offers at…
Read MoreWestern Morning News – 12.02.14 – Trade in milk quota still strong, despite its demise
The New Year is now fully underway and this is the busy paperwork season for us with milk quota, with this year’s deadline on the 31st March. I will resist commenting on the misquotes, misrepresentations and then further misquotes from these misquotes, in respect to the sudden increase in milk quota trading. Perhaps one needs…
Read MoreFarmers Guardian – 07.02.14 – Great shake causing a flurry in milk quota
The New Year is now fully underway and this is the busy paperwork season for us with milk quota, with this year’s deadline on the 31st March. I will resist commenting on the misquotes, misrepresentations and then further misquotes from these misquotes, in respect to the sudden increase in milk quota trading. Perhaps one needs…
Read MoreWestern Morning News – 05.02.14 – Do your trading well before the April deadline
Following strong trading up to the end of 2013, January has continued to see a lot of activity in the market. Non-SDA entitlement trade remained at £300 per hectare to mid-January following the announcement of the roll-over of English entitlements at the end of October. This however led to an oversupply of vendors, which subsequently…
Read MoreWestern Morning News – 22.01.14 – Vital drop-in centres for Rural Payments Agency forms axed
After several months of correspondence with the RPA explaining the difficulties their decision to close the drop-in centres will cause, we now have confirmation that they will not consider running their drop-in centres for RLE1 forms in the week leading up to the entitlement transfer deadline on the 2nd April. This now puts pressure on both…
Read MoreTCS newsletter – 21.01.14 – 2014 Entitlement Trading Update
The end of 2013 saw strong trade for Non-SDA entitlements, with some purchasers achieving good rates before the English roll-over was confirmed. Prices continued fairly steadily in the first half of January 2014 at their post roll-over rate of £300 per unit plus VAT for Non-SDA, with Non-VATable entitlements making up to £340 per unit,…
Read MoreTCS newsletter – 20.12.13 – December Entitlement Trading Update – What To Do With Less Than 5ha – DEFRA CAP Consultation Responses – Crop Diversification – Naked Acres & Hosting – Milk Quota
DECEMBER ENTITLEMENT TRADING UPDATE December trade for Non-SDA entitlements has been strong, up approximately 59% on the same period in 2012, with many purchasers utilising their 2013 SPS payments to top-up their entitlements in preparation for the new scheme starting in 2015. As usual we have seen additional purchasers come onto the market, newly ‘cashed…
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