Farmers in the Scottish Borders and elsewhere must be hoping at least one Tory manifesto policy survives the political carnage which has seen many of the party's flagship pledges ditched and shredded.
Gone even before a deal with the DUP could be stitched up were promises to introduce more grammar schools, to legalise foxhunting in England and Wales, to levy a 'dementia tax' on folk requiring care, to deny many pensioners their winter fuel payments along with the removal of the triple lock on the state pension. All conveniently abandoned to keep a lame duck prime minister in power for a while longer.
However, the well worn Hammond/May mantra "we must live within our means" continues to get regular air time, and there was nothing in the Queen's Speech this week to suggest there would be extra billions for education, the NHS and for other suffering public services.
So if there is no spare cash floating around The Treasury, where will the estimated extra £9 billion come from to deliver the Tories' commitment to guarantee the current level of financial support for British farmers post-Brexit? In other words, to extend the Brussels Common Agricultural Policy's (CAP) 'dripping roast' from 2019 to 2022. Or will this solemn promise be quietly buried too?
Last year more than 154,000 UK businesses collected in excess of £2.86 billion in subsidies, slightly less than the £3.185 billion which supported 183,000 separate recipients the previous year.
In 2016, more than 26,000 different Scottish rural businesses received a CAP payment from EC funds. The hand-outs were worth over £647 million, and a significant proportion of the money was used to promote environmental projects and schemes aimed at resisting climate change.
Research carried out by colleagues at Not Just Sheep & Rugby would suggest the Government will have to come up with more than £150 million over three years if farm related businesses in the Scottish Borders and North Northumberland are not to suffer financial losses once the CAP gravy train hits the buffers.
In the twelve months to October 2016 1,191 agri-linked entities across the region received £47.2 million following the 2015 statistics which showed some 1,300 businesses pulled in around £63 million from EU funds.
The loss of such a significant level of subsidy would blow a large hole in the Borders economy. According to tourism experts the money spent in the region by visitors on food, drink and accommodation is worth £65 million a year to hotels, restaurants and pubs. So the complete removal of CAP benefits from the Borders would be on a similar scale.
An economic profile for the Scottish Borders, produced by Scottish Borders Council in 2013, stressed: "It is critical for the local economy that CAP reform continues to deliver support for an innovative and competitive agricultural sector. Total income from farming in Scotland is less than subsidies received (£589 million income against subsidy of £633 million, so industry dependency on direct support is high".
Here is a postcode breakdown of the farm payments which found their way into the Scottish Borders in 2016, including some of the main beneficiaries:
TD1 - GALASHIELS - 49 businesses received a total of £2.304 million (2015 £3.620 million): including L G Litchfield, Bowland Farms £295,441; T & J Elliot £136,594; Torwoodlee & Buckholm Estates £127,536; Mrs C M Reid £126,541.
TD2 - LAUDER - 46 businesses received £1.664 million (£2.260 million); including W H Sharp & Son £108,415; W M Barr & Co £106,633; Firm of Sutherland £100,105.
TD3 - GORDON - 21 businesses received £1.671 million (£2.141 million): including G McDougal (Bassendean) Ltd £256,585; J & T F Macfarlane £484,213; Haddington Farms £152,502; R W Morris & Co £127,816.
TD4 - EARLSTON - 21 businesses received £1.067 million (£1.157 million): including Fans Farming £172,367; J W Fullerton & Sons £192,533; Hamish Morison Farming Ltd £120,450; Messrs R & J Scott Aiton £110,078.
TD5 - KELSO - 163 businesses received £7.249 million (£9.450 million): including C G Greig Farms Ltd £258,886; Balgonie Estates Ltd £197,634; Floors Farming £231,378; James Mitchell & Partners £187,847; Lochtower Ltd £128,629; D & D W D Thomson £151,835; Messrs J Jeffrey £168,460; Playfair Farms £129,882; T W & T B Edgar Ltd £203,876.
TD6 - MELROSE/ST. BOSWELLS - 64 businesses received £2.016 million (£2.922 million): including Mertoun Estate Farms £173,218; Messrs Maxwell (Faughhill) £112,067; Scottish Borders Council (Woodlands) £97,252.
TD7 - SELKIRK - 83 businesses received £2.858 million (£4.909 million): including BQ Farming Partnership Ltd £212,248; Langholm Farms Ltd £182,256; Sir F M Strang Steel £146,152; W N Douglas £113,440.
TD8 - JEDBURGH - 86 businesses received £3.153 million (£4.270 million): including Firm of Nisbet Mill Farm £190,896; R G Barbour & Sons £177,815; Robert Neill & Partners £135,589; Messrs A A Scott £121,019; J W Ogilvie & Partners £107,560.
TD9 - HAWICK/NEWCASTLETON - 171 businesses received £5.204 million (£8.389 million): including G W & M Richardson £106,813; H & M Farms £180,262; R H Brunton & Co £101,738; R J & T J & M T Feakins £183,718; S H & P M Shirley-Beavan £115,093; W S Davies & Son £108,370.
TD10 - DUNS/GREENLAW - 24 businesses received £907,000 (£1.871 million): including J C & K C Constable Ltd £104,239; John Mitchell & Co £106,899; The Firm of James Orr £129,683.
TD11 - DUNS/ABBEY ST. BATHANS - 126 businesses received £5.987 million (£8.017 million): including A M & A Calder Farms Ltd £168,885; C A Ramsay Partnership £119,164; Catchelraw Trust £150,923; Charterhall Farm £101,631; Ellemford Farming Ltd £120,556; Harehead Farms £170,380; Macfarlane Farms Ltd £220,361; R & J McDonald £212,752; R P Cowe & Co £107,057; W Arnott & Co £131,160.
TD12 - COLDSTREAM - 19 businesses received £759,000 (£1.162 million): including Ladykirk Estate Farms £152,584.
TD13 - COCKBURNSPATH - 16 businesses received £403,000 (£1.355 million): including J P H Wight & Co £78,596.
TD14 - EYEMOUTH - 55 businesses received £1.725 million (£1.583 million): including Eyemouth Freezers Ltd £319,313.
TD15 - BERWICK-ON-TWEED - 162 businesses received £6.902 million (£7.527 million): including A T Barr & Co £143,870; G H Millar (West Foulden) Ltd £106,810; Conundrum Farm Partnership £102,787; J A Frater £103,867; J E Armstrong & Son £166,147; Joicey Partnership £291,497; R T de Plumpton Hunter £184,552; Penmar Farming £443,295; R C Reed £136,936; Sunwick Farm Ltd £106,427; The President Estate Farming Partnership £240,133; Todd Farms £129,154; W L Douglas & Son £281,638.
EH45 - PEEBLES - 48 businesses received £1.515 million (£2.278 million): including Glenrath Farms £111,828; J P Campbell & Sons £212,171.
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