The RPA Podcast RPA

In today’s podcast, we discuss the opening of the claim window for existing Countryside Stewardship revenue and Environmental Stewardship agreements, delinked payments, RPA’s shows and events schedule and the new round of Farming Equipment and Technology Fund Grants. We also have an interview with Marie Hardeman, RPA’s Customer Director, who talks about her year into the role and improvements in Customer Services. 
Item 1:

Gregg Bulman a Countryside Stewardship Processing manager, runs us through Opening of the claim window for existing Countryside Stewardship revenue and Environmental Stewardship agreements and delinked payments·  
The claim window for existing Countryside Stewardship (CS) revenue and Environmental Stewardship (ES) agreements has opened on 14 March 2024. All farmers must submit a claim or annual declaration for CS and ES before 15 May to receive payment for works carried out through the schemes in 2024 without a reduction. The final deadline for submitting a claim with reduction is 2 September. In 2023 the RPA supplemented the existing online claim process for CS with a more straightforward annual declaration option in cases where no changes are required. This will still be available in the Rural Payments service for 2024, with farmers able to generate and submit an automated revenue claim without needing to complete each section of the claim form. Item 2:

In our second section, we speak with Katie Yon from RPA’s shows and events team, about the range of shows and events the team will be visiting this year and what visitors to the RPA stand can expect.
Please come and visit RPA at Agricultural Shows across the country.
Item 3:
In our third section, we speak to Caitlin Smith from RPA’s Grants Service team, who  talks to us about the new round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.Grants for productivity and slurry management items are available now. The deadline to apply is midday 17 April 2024. Farmers, foresters, growers and contractors to those sectors can apply. You can apply for one grant from each of the 3 themes. The fund is competitive. Successful applicants will receive a grant of: a minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £50,000 towards productivity itemsa minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £50,000 towards slurry itemsa minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £25,000 towards animal health and welfare itemsWe will pay a percentage of the cost depending on the item. For many items, this percentage is an increase on last year. This funding will go towards either: the average cost of the item – if an item costs you the same or more than the expected average cost in the item listthe actual cost you pay for the item – if an item costs you less than the expected average cost in the item listRead The RPA Podcast is an opportunity to engage with farmers and land managers in a new way, and we encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions of particular topics that you’d like us to cover with our subject experts. You can e-mail us at External.Affairs@rpa.gov.uk.

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Item 1:
·  Danielle Bragg, from the RPA Grants Service Team, runs us through all the grants available to farmers, under the Farming Investment Fund.
·  The Farming Investment Fund offers funding for equipment, technology, and infrastructure that improves farm productivity and benefits the environment.  This fund provides grants to farmers, foresters, and growers so that they can invest in the things they need to improve productivity and enhance the natural environment.  
·  The Farming Investment Fund is made up of 2 parts; for smaller grants, there is the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) while larger grants are covered by the Farming Transformation Fund. We discuss the different options available under these grants and provide guidance on how and when to apply. 


Item 2: 
·  In our second section, we speak with Jim Bubb, owner of Shropshire Petals Farm in Newport, about how the Improving Farm Productivity grant has made his business more efficient with the addition of droid robots and other ways in which this has benefitted his business. 
 
Item 3:
· In our last segment, we are joined by Rachael Dale, from RPA Geospatial Services, to discuss the launch of the new digital service, that allows you to edit your mapping information online.
· The recently launched Rural Land Changes service allows customers to notify RPA of mapping changes online, streamlining this process. This digital option for farmers, which will replace the RLE1 form, will reduce the length of time to action submissions from customers. The Rural Land Changes is more convenient, faster, and easier.
The RPA Podcast is an opportunity to engage with farmers and land managers in a new way, and we encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions of particular topics that you’d like us to cover with our subject experts. You can e-mail us at External.Affairs@rpa.gov.uk.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates and information on the following accounts.
Follow us on Twitter @ruralpay Sign up for our blog at blog.gov.uk Facebook: facebook.com/RuralPaymentsAgency YouTube: Rural Payments Agency By following and subscribing to our social channels and blog, you’ll be able to see the latest updates about important information.

Welcome to the seventh episode of The RPA Podcast.
In our latest episode, we dive into some of the questions and feedback we’ve received at the RPA from those applying to the 2023 offer of the Sustainable Farming Incentive. 
After opening to applications in August, we received a number of technical and general questions, both from farmers in the process of applying and those considering doing so. Speaking to our expert in the RPA Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) Delivery team, Stephen Veasey, we get the answers to the most frequently asked questions RPA has received. 
Stephen will be discussing the benefits of applying, looking into how the scheme has been created to allow all farmers to tailor to the needs of their land and actions that can be taken before applying, to streamline the application process. We will also discuss the number of accepted applications and offers in the pipeline. This figure was correct at time of recording but will increase over the coming weeks.  
The RPA Podcast is an opportunity to engage with farmers and land managers in a new way, and we encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions of particular topics that you’d like us to cover with our subject experts. You can e-mail us at External.Affairs@rpa.gov.uk.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates and information on the following accounts.
Follow us on Twitter @ruralpay Sign up for our blog at blog.gov.uk Facebook: facebook.com/RuralPaymentsAgency YouTube: Rural Payments Agency By following and subscribing to our social channels and blog, you’ll be able to see the latest updates about important information.

Welcome to the sixth episode of The RPA Podcast.
In our latest episode, Ali Johnson, RPA’s Engagement and Operational Readiness Director, discusses the 2023 Sustainable Farming Incentive and highlights the greater flexibility available  in SFI23. We also discuss the roll out date, application process and transition from other schemes.
Later in the episode, Anne-Marie Rafter, from RPA’s Geospatial Services, talks us through how to update land details and why it is essential to do so as soon as possible, to ensure there are no delays to receiving agri-environmental grants. We also discuss how the process of updating land data has been simplified and how it will soon be possible to amend land details online. 
Finally, we hear from Helen, from New Hall Farm in South Yorkshire, about her educational farm visits and their benefits, along with how her recommendations helped to improve the Farm Visit Declaration Form, which is completed by agreement holders before and during each visit.
The RPA Podcast is an opportunity to engage with farmers and land managers in a new way, and we encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions of particular topics that you’d like us to cover with our subject experts. You can e-mail us at External.Affairs@rpa.gov.uk.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates and information on the following accounts.
Follow us on Twitter @ruralpaySign up for our blog at blog.gov.ukFacebook: facebook.com/RuralPaymentsAgencyYouTube: Rural Payments AgencyBy following and subscribing to our social channels and blog, you’ll be able to see the latest updates about important information. 
The RPA Podcast is an opportunity to engage with farmers and land managers in a new way, and we encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions of particular topics that you’d like us to cover with our subject experts. You can e-mail us at External.Affairs@rpa.gov.uk.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates and information on the following accounts.
Follow us on Twitter @ruralpay Sign up for our blog at blog.gov.uk Facebook: facebook.com/RuralPaymentsAgency YouTube: Rural Payments Agency By following and subscribing to our social channels and blog, you’ll be able to see the latest updates about important information.

Welcome to the fifth episode of The RPA Podcast.
In our latest episode, the RPA’s Chief Executive, Paul Caldwell, speaks to Andrew Hawnt, from the RPA’s Internal Communications team, about his reflections of 2022 and ambitions for the year ahead.  
Faye Slade, from the RPA’s Countryside Stewardship Agricultural Transition team, talks us through the recent Countryside Stewardship updates and gives us the latest information. This includes January’s Capital Payments announcements and the opening of the Higher Tier application window in February.
We also take some time to reflect on the recent Environmental Land Management schemes announcements, including the extra Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme standards that will become available this summer. Alex Hills, Sustainable Farming Incentive Pilot Delivery Manager at the RPA, discusses the announcement at the end of January and how it provided clarity about what more will be available this year and beyond. 
Later in the episode we hear from Andy Powley, Defra’s policy lead for resilience, about how the Future Farming Resilience Fund is providing free business support to farmers and land managers during agricultural transition.
The RPA Podcast is an opportunity to engage with farmers and land managers in a new way, and we encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions of particular topics that you’d like us to cover with our subject experts. You can e-mail us at External.Affairs@rpa.gov.uk.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates and information on the following accounts.
Follow us on Twitter @ruralpay Sign up for our blog at blog.gov.uk Facebook: facebook.com/RuralPaymentsAgency YouTube: Rural Payments Agency By following and subscribing to our social channels and blog, you’ll be able to see the latest updates about important information.

Welcome to the fourth episode of The RPA Podcast.
In our latest episode, Richard Anderson, who leads the Field Officer teams at the RPA, talks about the RPA’s more collaborative approach to inspections and visits, and the improvements we can expect to see in the coming months. Richard highlights how his team will support farmers by offering greater levels of advice, guidance and signposting to help improve compliance with standards and scheme requirements.
We also take some time to understand the RPA’s geospatial mapping process. Rachael Dale, Head of Geospatial Services at the RPA, discusses the exciting changes that the RPA hopes will transform the mapping experience for farmers. 
As we approach December’s Basic Payments Scheme payments window, we discuss BPS progressive reductions with Kenny McLoughlin, BPS and CS Claims Product Lead at the RPA. Kenny guides us through December’s BPS payments window and explains how the combination of progressive reductions and advance payments will impact this year’s window.
Later in the episode we hear from farming ambassador and RPA colleague, Norma Boyes MBE, as she reflects on how farming has changed, and continues to change, for women in agricultural roles and communities, as we mark October’s International Day of Rural Women.  
The RPA Podcast is an opportunity to engage with farmers and land managers in a new way, and we encourage you to reach out to us with suggestions of particular topics that you’d like us to cover with our subject experts. You can e-mail us at External.Affairs@rpa.gov.uk.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates and information on the following accounts.
Follow us on Twitter @ruralpay Sign up for our blog at blog.gov.uk Facebook: facebook.com/RuralPaymentsAgency YouTube: Rural Payments Agency By following and subscribing to our social channels and blog, you’ll be able to see the latest updates about important information.