Experts in the field from Foot Anstey

This podcast episode explores the issues surrounding accidents on and off the farm and employers' and landowners' responsibilities, with useful insights and top tips from our in-house experts. The experts discuss a range of topics from the types of accidents that arise, what employers can do to minimise them and the regulatory framework currently in place. (Please note the podcast includes graphic descriptions of injuries on farms.)

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This podcast episode considers the use of Agrivoltaic technology (Agri-PV): the simultaneous use of land for solar farming and agriculture and the opportunities available to landowners to make the most use of their land for sustainable power generation and agricultural production. The experts discuss the methods and benefits of Agri-PV production.

In this episode, our in-house experts consider the potential disputes arising in farming families following the death of a relative. They also discuss how succession issues can be avoided or minimised by early consideration and forward planning on inheritance matters at an early stage.

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In this Episode Edward Venmore talks with Julia Pound, Associate Director at Savills. Julia is an expert in strategic estate management, nutrient neutrality and biodiversity net gain.

Edward and Julia look into what the term Natural Capital encompasses and the potential opportunities it provides. They also discuss recent changes in the agricultural sector, government policy and current and future trends.

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In the final episode of season 2 we explore how to make your land as marketable as possible with useful insights and top tips. Our in-house experts discuss a range of topics from exploring development opportunities, to planning applications and conducting due diligence on your land. 

Our experts start their discussion with the key things to think about when assessing whether your land has development potential.

They then consider what steps should be taken to establish the marketability of your land and what can be done to enhance that development opportunity. The discussion concludes with some top tips for landowners to take away.

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Our in-house experts are joined by Matt Brown from Savills as they provide some useful insights into what makes a good landlord and tenant relationship in regard to agricultural land and tenancies, with a common theme being good communication. They discuss common areas in which disputes may arise and clauses in a written tenancy that are subject to the most negotiation at the outset. They also considers the changes in the subsidy regime.

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In this episode we bring back our in-house experts from episode 6 for part 2 of the discussion on the importance of lasting powers of attorney and deputyships in succession planning. They highlight how important putting in place a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) can be to protect well laid succession plans, the farming business and also ensure your wishes are adhered to by a person you trust.  They also discuss what steps you should be considering now to be prepared for all eventualities. 

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Season 2 starts with our experts discussing how the pandemic, Brexit and the war in Ukraine have affected the agricultural sector and foreign seasonal workers.  Edward Venmore is joined by Andrew Butler from the NFU and our business immigration specialist Gemma Robinson as they explain the steps for acquiring a Seasonal Worker Visa as well as employer's responsibilities when employing foreign seasonal workers. Gemma also shares her expertise on statutory rights for foreign seasonal workers and Andrew explains the steps the NFU are taking to convince the government to improve the current system for employing foreign seasonal workers.

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In the final episode of season one we consider the importance of succession planning with our experts sharing their experiences of working with farming families and what you can do to ensure you have a successful succession plan in place.

Farming businesses are unique in that the family usually live as well as work on the largest asset, which is illiquid and cannot always easily be split. Traditional succession practices, such as handing the farm down through generations can create expectation and conflict with modern expectations of inheriting equally between siblings. From a succession point of view, it is vital that plans are discussed, made and well documented.

Clive Beer of Savills joins our internal experts, Anna Parker and Edward Venmore, to discuss their experience of how farming families approach succession planning, how this differs in other European countries and to highlight cases where it has gone wrong or been done well.

The experts also share their advice for successful succession planning and how to avoid family conflict before concluding with their key tips and takeaways.

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Our in-house experts consider succession planning and the need for deputyships where loss of capacity has not been planned for.

During the episode our lawyers explain loss of capacity and what a deputyship order is. They discuss the process of becoming or appointing a deputy, and how a person could avoid their family having to incur the time, emotion and money involved by putting in place a Lasting Power of Attorney whilst they still have capacity.

This episode is part one of this topic. In part two, which will be released in Series 2, we'll go into more detail on lasting powers of attorney (LPA's).

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In this episode our in-house experts consider natural capital schemes and in particular the biodiversity net gain requirements that are coming in through planning policy.

Our experts explain the biodiversity net gain requirements that are coming in through planning policy and the challenges around implementing the scheme.

They discuss the impact on, and opportunities for, English landowners and offer advice as to what landowners can be doing now. Their concluding thoughts share key tips and takeaways.

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Hannah Mazrae, Partner at Saffery Champness LLP, joins Edward Venmore and Rose Westwood to discuss the changes coming to the farming sector as the basic payment scheme is phased out.

Government desire to see improvements for nature is driving new policy and a period of unprecedented change for farmers and landowners. Our experts discuss the key policies that will drive change and the impact these might have on land use, agricultural tenancies, and farmers coming together into cooperatives and pooling arrangements. Hannah shares her insight into what the market and her clients are doing now and concludes with her key tips and takeaways.

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In this episode our in-house experts consider the importance of succession planning, the value of discussion and documenting those discussions to avoid family conflict.

Farming families are unique in that they often live and work together on the largest capital asset, which is usually passed down through generations. Without open discussions and proper succession planning, this set up can all too easily lead to costly and emotional family conflict.

Our experts discuss how you can begin discussions and the documents we recommend to guard against risk which can act as an insurance policy for the future. We'll explain family constitutions, partnership agreements, wills, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, and cohabitation agreements before concluding with our key tips and takeaways.

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Against a backdrop of unprecedented change and transition, Edward Venmore, head of Foot Anstey's Farms, Estates and Rural Land team in conversation with Alex Stevens, Regional Policy Manager for the NFU South West, considers opportunities for landowners and farmers and the balance between environmental schemes and food production.

Farmers and landowners are entering a period of unprecedented change due to Brexit, a new subsidy regime, and new policies driven by pressures on the Government for climate change mitigation.

Alex and Edward discuss the key policies that will drive change in the rural market, how they consider land use will be impacted and the balance between environmental schemes and food production. Alex shares his experience of what NFU members are doing now in response and his predictions for the coming years, both for landowners and tenant farmers, and including pooling arrangements. Alex concludes with his key tips and takeaways.

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