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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.
Farmers Weekly – 13.12.13 – Entitlement Trade boosted by CAP Progress
https://www.fwi.co.uk/articles/13/12/2013/142450/entitlement-trade-boosted-by-cap-progress.htm
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TCS newsletter – 13.12.13 – Two New Fact Sheets – TB Movement Control & Cattle Movement Restrictions
Stricter penalties for missed or late TB tests DEFRA has announced that from 1st January 2014 farmers will start to receive significant financial penalties if they are found to be late on their regular interval TB tests. The announcement comes on the back of a new agreement between the Animal Health & Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA)…
Read MoreFarmers Guardian – 06.12.13 – Future of Farming set to be Unveiled by MPs
With the consultation period now over, having closed for comments on the 28th November, all that is left for us to do is wait for more details of the direction that the Government will send farming in the UK until 2020. News on these decisions has been promised before Parliament breaks for Christmas on 19th December. We…
Read MoreTCS newsletter – 06.12.13 – December Entitlement Trading & CAP Reform Update
Both demand and supply for Non-SDA entitlements continues to be very strong, particularly for this time of year, with Non-SDA trade up 59% on the same trading period in 2012. Some vendors are slightly reluctant to sell so early after confirmation of the roll-over, possibly waiting for prices to fully bed in and maybe increase…
Read MoreWestern Morning News – 04.12.13 – Five Hectare Rule for Farm Subsidies will rule out Grant Aid for Pony Paddocks
With the consultation period now over, having closed on 28th November, all that is left for us to do is wait for more details of the direction that the Government will send farming in the UK until 2020. News on these decisions has been promised before Parliament breaks for Christmas on 19th December. We already know…
Read MoreWestern Morning News – 16.10.13 – TB Testing
Unfortunately in the South West living with TB has become a way of life. The resistance to the pilot badger cull suggests this will remain the case for some time. Talk of a vaccine becoming available in the UK does not however raise ones hopes as this would be contrary to current EU legislation and…
Read MoreTCS newsletter 11.10.13 – 2014 Entitlement Trading – 2014 Transitional Rules – Future Cap Policy Update – RPA Dispute Resolution & Recovery of Professional Fees – Milk Quota Update
OUR 2014 ENTITLEMENT & MILK QUOTA AGENCY TEAM Ashley Taylor BSc.(Hons), MRICS FAAV ACIArb. James Clack BSc.(Hons) Charles Gregory BSc.(Hons) Julia Clark BA(Hons) Our 2014 entitlements and naked acres letting/hosting team is Ashley Taylor, Charles Gregory and James Clack. Ashley once again is handling English Non-SDA entitlements and naked acre letting/hosting, Charles Gregory is dealing with…
Read MoreWestern Morning News – 30.09.13 – Removal of Hedgerows
Management of hedgerows and the ability to remove them is regulated tightly by a number of regulations and statutes. When landowners look to change field boundaries or the access to these fields, the due consideration that must be taken before carrying out such work can often be missed. The “removal” of a hedgerow is defined,…
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