Scotland has just announced that it - like Wales - is to start paying SFP from 1 Dec and aims to have 90% done in a month.

 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2007/11/28140521

It will probably come as little surprise to farmers in England - but they are going to have to wait...again. The RPA's target is to pay 75% by the end of March 2008. It is the third year of SPS - what happened to all those promises that things would improve once the scheme had bedded in?

It's no surprise at all!

At the end of the day both the Welsh and Scottish administrations seem to value their farmers which is something which cannot be said of the administration in England, just think of the interest being made while it's sitting in their coffers!

I think we've learnt by now that this Government's promises are empty and meaningless.  They pacify us with promises and then do exactly what they want to do irrespective but it makes them look good to the general public.

Can a formal complaint on behalf of England's farmers be made to the EU? If we have to abide by EU regulations, surely they should be able to doing something back for us in return?

I think we English farmers have to recognise that even when Defra have all the problems solved, they will never pay SFP until late in the payment window whereas the devolved administrations will try to pay it as early in the window as they can.  We, their so-called 'stakeholders', must learn to know our place!

Darling,     The NFU should be on the ball here. They will be in constant touch with the European officials. You, and all in farming, should contact your local NFU office and make your feelings felt.

            I find much attitude between Government, and others, to English agriculture and country life to be unacceptable and grossly unfair. I think a new initiative is required. I know it seems always to be the farmers who have to show the lead but it is simply not going to come from the other parties. One method might be to invite local MP's to far more farming meetings, farm outings, farm and food business visits, diversified enterprise visits, YFC visits and so on. It is a question of getting recognition; which is so rightly deserved. As an example our local NFU has a traditional New Year Meeting when the local MP plus his/her opposition candidates are invited to speak and answer questions. Perhaps yours does as well but it must carry on one way or another throughout the year. Hopefully, a better feeling of respect would filter up to Westminster and result in a far more positive Government as far as Agriculture and Rural life is concerned.