David's Digest

While I was away at the Oxford Conference this week the postman brought a letter from Defra to say our SFP was about to be paid into the bank. Hooray! We will probably now be able to survive to the end of the month.

Seriously though, it is the earliest we have ever had it - even though its still a month later than farmers in Scotland and Wales. I am also acutely aware that many of my fellow English farmers have not yet received their cheque and others have still to be paid in full for previous years.

This years payment is, of course, rather larger than before reflecting the "favourable" (for UK farmers) exchenge rate between the Euro and the £ together with an allowance to compensate for the reform of the EU's sugar beet regime.

So, as the frost and fog come down dropping outside temperatures to -4C and I throw a few more logs on the farmhouse fire in an attempt to raise the temperature, I am feeling a little happier than I was. And I hope all those farmers who have not yet had their payment get it soon. And yes, the head cold from which I was suffering last week (not man flu Isabel) is getting better.