Capital Grants 2026 now closed
The 2026 Capital Grants offer is now closed. In this guest post, the Rural Payments Agency's Chief Executive, Oliver Munn, shares some early reflections on the data and the environmental ambition they represent.
Oliver Munn
Oliver is the Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Payments Agency, a post he’s held since 12 January 2026.
He has previously worked for Faculty, a UK-based artificial intelligence company, as Director of AI Capability from 2024 to 2026.
He served as the UK Health Security Agency’s Director General Health Protection Operations from 2022 to 2024, where he oversaw the response to infectious disease outbreaks in England and the national COVID-19 testing system. In that role, he led a modernisation programme that upgraded IT systems and streamlined manual processes, improving the experience of users and staff.
Prior to that, he was a director at the Cabinet Office from 2020 to 2022 and worked at McKinsey and Company, a management consulting firm, helping public and private sector organisations to modernise and transform their operations.
He is also a non-executive director of the Planning Inspectorate, appointed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
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7 October Dairy Show at The Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
10 October Alwinton Show at Gallow Law, Alwinton, Northumberland.
Find a list of the other shows and events we’re attending in 2026
Helping farmers access water this autumn
Drought is putting real pressure on farmers this year. The Environment Agency is giving farmers greater flexibility by letting existing abstraction licence holders start refilling their water storage reservoirs early, a month ahead of usual schedule. This temporary change runs from 1 October to 31 October.
We recognise the difficulty in getting a long duration abstraction licence and the blocker this presents to long-term investment in sustainable abstraction practices.
As part of the package announced on 1 October to support farmers to access water, the Environment Agency have made it easier for those who don’t currently have an abstraction license to apply for licences that better support long-term investment.
Full details of the changes and information on how to be compliant can be found on the Environment Agency blog.
Storing fertiliser safely
If you are ordering fertiliser for the coming season, check that it can be stored safely and securely before delivery. The action you need to take depends on the type and quantity of fertiliser.
Follow the relevant guidance to protect people, prevent contamination or deterioration, and meet the rules for storing ammonium nitrate and other substances.
Read the AIC’s guide to storing, handling & transporting ammonium nitrate and the HSE’s steps to take.
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The Farming Advice Service (FAS) provides free, confidential advice to farmers and advisers.
Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) helps farmers in England protect water, air and soil. CSF advisers can provide advice on best practices and specific actions that will benefit your farm business and the environment.
We’ve compiled a list of organisations offering wellbeing support to those in the farming community.
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Livestock disease guidance
Preparing your business for the UK-EU SPS agreement
Read the new guidance to understand what the changes could mean for your business and how to prepare.
