Louise Batchelor, Environment Correspondent with BBC Scotland interviewed Mark Mitchell of Bell Ingram, for Reporting Scotland, following the implementation of a Single Farm Payment Exchange. This successful Bell Ingram scheme is now brokering more than 9,000 hectares of land across Scotland and as the window of opportunity has now closed, farmers and the general public want to know what happens next?

The simple answer is that having made a successful application in 2005, farmers and entitlement holders are now able to either claim payments annually or sell their entitlement on the open market. Bell Ingram is assisting with both options and is currently setting up a single farm payment sales service.

Bell Ingram’s single farm payment exchange clients form a broad cross section; from those who have retired or started an alternative career to those who have lost land to tenancy changes or the ending of Partnerships.

The single farm payment scheme is based on historic subsidy claims made during 2000, 2001 and 2002 by individuals or businesses, which have subsequently been awarded “entitlement” by SEERAD.

When asked how the entitlement is claimed Mark Mitchell said “Each entitlement must be matched with an eligible hectare, and this is where Bell Ingram comes in. We find suitable land, match it to an individual client’s requirement and construct an agreement between the landowner and the client. In order to be eligible the leased land must be available for no less than 10 months and the claimant must comply with the environmental conditions. In return the landowner receives a rental for the land, though they are obliged to maintain the land on behalf of the client, to ensure the land complies with the environmental conditions during the lease period.”

“If parties awarded with entitlement don’t make a claim by the deadline of Monday 16th May 2005, their entitlement will be absorbed into the National Reserve, whereas if they do claim, they can either continue to claim in future years or sell their entitlement” says Mark Mitchell.

The Single Farm Payment letting window closed on the 30th April and the IACS/SAF application deadline was the 16th May.

Bell Ingram are being proactive by looking to the future and developing a sales agency for those who wish to sell their entitlement, and the land exchange will again be open for business later in 2005. Mark Mitchell is working to secure “naked acres” exclusively for Bell Ingram for the 2006 scheme from both new and existing landowners.

Land Management Contracts
Land Management Contracts are the major concern for the industry. The deadline for submissions has recently been extended by SEERAD from 16th May to 6th June. Mark Mitchell suggests that based on his experience of the menu scheme from applications made to date on behalf of clients that a well worked scheme can unlock an additional £3,000 - £3,500, which helps to fill the void left by modulation, though payment will not be received until April 2006!

For further information please contact Mark A.N. Mitchell MRICS, Associate Director
Bell Ingram, Durn, Isla Road, Perth, PH2 7HF. Tel: 01738 621121 Fax: 01738 630904
Email: mark.mitchell@bellingram.co.uk