Spring has sprung!

As the weather improves the countryside has burst into life; lambs are popping up everywhere and there was a rush of activity in the arable fields last weekend with farmers making the most of drier conditions.

Of course, this time of year also heralds a mountain of paperwork with agri-environment scheme application windows opening and BPS deadlines looming. Here at GD & Co we’ve been all over the county trying to fit in meetings before some clients disappear into the laming shed for the foreseeable!

The higher tier CSS application forms (aka ‘expressions of intent’) must be requested by mid-April and submitted in early May; mid tiers have a longer window with requests available until the end of July and the final deadline being the end of September.

Capital works are available as standalone agreements as well as part of multi-year agreements; Hedgerow and Boundary Grants must be in by the end of April though so do not delay!

If you would like any advice on, or assistance with, your agri-environment schemes (present or future), BPS or anything else, please do not hesitate to get in touch.