David's Digest

My cup runneth over! Not only have we had more than 60mm of rain in the last couple of weeks and are now having pleasant warm growing weather to follow but in todays post we received notification that the final 40% of Single Farm Payment due to this farm on account of 2006 had been paid into our bank. A few of my neighbours have had similar notifications over recent days so perhaps the Rural Payments Agency are beginning to catch up.
About time too. Although I hear from various usually reliable sources that a significant number of English farmers may still not receive their cheques by the end of June target. If that turns out to be the case another hefty fine will be imposed on this country by the European Commission. And UK taxpayers will once again have to pick up the tab for DEFRA's inefficiency. The buck stops now, as previously, with The Secretary of State only this time it is David Miliband not Margaret Beckett. We farmers feel a bit better since the said lady went to the Foreign Office. But is the actual performance of her bright and ambitious successor, in matters of greatest importance to us, very much better? I think not.