Does Borders lose £63 million if we 'Brexit'?

 by OUR AGRI STAFF

One Borders farmer received more than a million pounds in Common Agricultural Policy [CAP] payments last year while Scottish Borders Council was also a major beneficiary from European funds, collecting £529,000 to spend on renewal in rural areas.

As Britain heads for a possible exit from the European Union courtesy of the UK Government's controversial referendum, many of those who earn their living in the farming community may be pondering an uncertain future should the largesse of the CAP be suddenly withdrawn.

It is therefore worth reflecting that last year alone farm subsidies from Brussels funds were worth more than £63 million to almost 1,300 farms and related businesses across the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland. At this stage there is no firm guarantee that the Treasury would make good the lost subsidies should we leave the EU behind.

In many cases the pay-outs exceeded six figures as can be seen from the results of our research below.

The million pound mark was breached by Robin Feakins and family members, with farms near Bonchester Bridge. CAP funding for the business totalled £1,270,281, easily the largest single payment for any agricultural operation in the region.

The Berwickshire business of J & T F Macfarlane received £582,476, well down on the 2014 sum of £736,918. And Peeblesshire firm of J P Campbell & Sons had £348,194 in CAP payments with their associated Glenrath Farms receiving £176,959.

There has been little or no mention from 'Vote Leave' about the level of support CAP provides to UK agriculture. For the record the 2015 figures show 178,224 recipients netted more than three billion pounds (£3,160,852,121.61). Would Westminster be able or willing to find £3 billion for hard pressed farmers if the EU gravy train stops running?

PAYMENTS OF OVER £100,000 were made to the following Scottish Borders and North Northumberland farms and businesses by postcode area:

TD1 (Galashiels) - L G Litchfield, Bowland £404,513; William Montgomery £182,013; T & J Elliot £164,441; T Elliot (Bedshiel) £166,590; J Runciman & Sons £108,030; J G Runciman £100,102; J & E Logan £118,786;Mrs C M Reid £171,477; R A Miller & Son £100,248; R C Woodburn £134,538; T D Renwick £102,693; Talla Partnership £315,732; Torwoodlee & Buckholm Estates £104,267. Total paid to all businesses in TD1 in 2015 £3.628 million (2014 £3.51 million).

TD2 (Lauder) - William Barr & Co £128,481; Firm of Sutherland £215,304; W H Sharp & Son £146,312; Huntington Partnership £113,079; F Damerell & Son £116,799; Stephen Anderson & Co £116,772. Total paid in TD2 £2.20 million (2014 £2.26 million).

TD3 (Gordon) - J & T F Macfarlane £582,476; G Mcdougal (Bassendean) £323,977; J & J Campbell £111,111; R H Tait & Co £105,981; R W Morris & Co £154,046. Total paid in TD3 £1.988 million (2014 £2.141 million).

TD4 (Earlston) - Fans Farming £214,476; Hamish Morison Farming £148,823; J W Fullerton £235,294; R & J Scott Aiton £143,297. Total paid in TD4 £1.157 million (2014 £1.288 million).

TD5 (Kelso) - G & M Symons Ltd £106,443; C M Goodson & Son £142,184; Firm of R P Shanks £104,734; Floors Farming £296,482; J & T Clark £105,780; J Brunton & Son £101,375; KSH Farmers Ltd £103,336; Kames Partnership £107,804; Lochtower Ltd £197,436; D & D W D Thomson £170,612; Messrs J Jeffrey £193,604; Messrs J Neil & Son £141,463; Messrs Robsons £109,473; Messrs T D C Thomson £143,016; Messrs T H Brewis £126,575; Messrs Thomas M Stewart £103,594; Messrs W M Fleming £202,599; Ninewells Farms £126,865; Oxnam Estates £115,101; T D Clark £102,629; Playfair Farms £167,801; R H & C L Dixon £102,768; R H Bell & Co £107,398; T W & T B Edgar Ltd £290,977; The Oliver Family £165,397. Total paid in TD5 £9.450 million (2014 £10.305 million).

TD6 (Melrose/St Boswells) - Mertoun Estates £176,053; Maxwell (Faughill) £145,436; Riddell Farms £204,257; Malcolm Stewart £109,318; George Marshall £108,451; Scottish Borders Council £529,658. Total paid in TD6 £2.922 million (2014 £2.61 million).

TD7 (Selkirk) - B Q Farming Partnership £325,210; Langholm Farms Ltd £380,679; W N Douglas £206,903; Eckford Farming Ltd £247,520; Sir F M Strang Steel £136,760; T Renwick & Son £132,071; Macdonald Partners £103,078; Swinside Farming £117,212; Mitinley Farms £108,844; Buccleuch Woodlands £153,560; G & L White £130,409; John Hume & Son £180,297; W J Coltherd £107,008; S McClymont & Son £113,883; T C Aynsley & Son £100,527; W & M Rutter £1165,090. Total paid in TD7 £4.909 million (2014 £4.66 million).

TD8 (Jedburgh) - G Barbour & Son £223,380; Nisbet Mill Farm £194,119; Robert Neill & Partners £172,864; A & A Scott £173,035; Fenwick Jackson £113,419; R Tile £158,818; D & I Richardson £110,607; J G Scott £114,408; Mrs J C Hands £146,915. Total paid in TD8 £4.27 million (2014 £4.62 million).

TD9 (Hawick) - A & B Scott £104,310; David Reddihough £104,602; G W & M Richardson & Son £189,631; H & M Farms £217,928; J E M Vestey £102,841; J Hepburn & Co £105,104; W W Dunlop & Son £112,781; Mrs W V Feakins £106,137; R H Brunton & Co £157,323; R J & T J & M T Feakins £1,270,281; Rock UK Adventure Centres Ltd Newcastleton £221266; Ruletownhead Farms £116,087; S H & P M Shirley-Bevan £150,958; T W & E Tennant £137,894; W C Anderson & Son £133,577; W R Girvan & Son £186,667; W S Davies & Son £135,482. Total paid in TD9 £8.389 million (2014 £7.937 million).

TD10 (Duns) - Charterhall Farm £115,694; J C & K C Constable £186,670; John Mitchell & Co £145,551; Marchmont Farms 187,564; R M & J F Seed £140,587; The Firm of James Orr £190,480. Total paid in TD10 £1.871 million (2014 £1.887 million).

TD11 (Duns) - A & G Rodger £140,438; A M & A Calder Farms £177,620; Ellemford Farms 2000 £144,838; G W B Fullerton & Son £152,833; G W Thomson & Sons £123,549; Greenshields Agri Ltd £269,463; Harehead Farms £197,028; J J & H D J Dobie £129,311; L L McVie & Co £101,738; Macfarlane Farms £294,049; Nether Mains Farm £102,072; R & J McDonald £276,383; R P Cowe & Co £154,081; Robert Forrest Ltd £126,429; Robert Lamont £141,397; S White & Co £137,602; W B Prentice & Sons £113,030. Total paid in TD10 £8.017 million (2014 £8.29 million).

TD12 (Coldstream area) - Greenknowe EStates £213,283; Ladykirk Estates £193,683; J A Laing £126,584; W Potts £111,114; R Neill & Sons £126,032; S & D Blaylock £115,949. Total paid in TD12 £5.152 million (2014 £5.676 million).

TD13 (Cockburnspath) - J P H Wight £106,943. Total paid in TD13 £1.355 million (2014 £1.599 million).

TD14 (Eyemouth) - J Fullarton & Son £120,691. Total paid in TD14 £1.583 million (2014 £1.832 million).

TD15 (Berwick-on-Tweed) - A & J & C Colgan £130,512; B L Farms Ltd £100,355; Cayley Walton Partnership £147,109; Conundrum Partnership £110,115; G H Millar (West Foulden) Ltd £114,296; Home Robertson Partnership £135,524; J M Jackson & Sons £188,988; William Jackson £155,517; J E Armstrong & Sons £154,579; J E Smith £118,562; Joicey Partnership £274,131; Maclean & Co £136,900; Penmar Farming £410,918; R Cadzow £143,099; R C & I W Whitten & Sons £100,879; R C Reed £131,597; Sunwick Farm Ltd £177,509; President Estate Partnership £278,148; Todd Farms £175,579; W L Douglas & Son £247,667. Total paid in TD15 £7,527,884 (2014 £8.361 million).

EH45 (Peebles) - J P Campbell & Sons £348,194; Glenrath Farms £176,959; Haystoun £135,196; J B Currie £112,429. Total paid in EH45 £2.278 million (2014 £2.34 million).