Christmas has come early. Yesterday we received notification that our Single Farm Payment was about to be paid into the bank. Having complained (many times) about the Rural Payments Agency and its tardy ways I feel I should at least recognise that they are improving. And about time too.
But as I heave a grateful sigh of relief that the bank manager will not now need to review our overdraft I am amazed at how much more the payment is worth because of the lower value of sterling against the Euro. I shudder to think how reliant we are on payments from Europe. And I wonder how we will manage without it if and when the payments stop, or more likely are significantly reduced, after 2013.
We all hope,of course, that the coming world shortage of food will force prices up enough to replace the disappearing Euro's. If that happens, fine and dandy. But we will be very lucky indeed if the timing is that convenient.