UK Government seeks valuers "to enable Government to pay compensation to owners of animals, crops, equipment etc. when we order the destruction of their property"

No joke, official UK gov website. Please look it up, confirm this, then tell me what it means. Hat tip to CAF.

The offer below comes from the DEFRA Ministry

https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2025/W12/842989677

Description

We require a range of valuers to work on behalf of Government to value livestock, crops, agricultural plant, equipment and other similar assets. Valuations are required to enable Government to pay compensation to owners of animals, crops, equipment etc. when we order the destruction of their property. For example, we will order the culling of animals with diseases such as TB, avian influenza and foot and mouth. Our current agreements for the provision of agricultural valuation services come to an end in spring 2025.

CPV Codes

• 77100000 - Agricultural services

• 03320000 - Cattle, livestock and small animals

• 77110000 - Services incidental to agricultural production

• 77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

• 79342400 - Auction services

Indicators

• Contract is suitable for SMEs.

• Contract is suitable for VCOs.

Other Information

Ahead of putting new agreements in place, we want to test our draft specification (the document which sets out how agricultural valuations are done) with valuers, experts and interested parties. This represents your opportunity to help shape the future of agricultural valuation services. Attached to this notice you will find: 1. A draft specification and 2. Engagement letter, with a questionnaire for you to provide feedback in. Should you wish to help shape the future of agricultural valuation services, please return a completed questionnaire with any other comments, questions or observations to tom.redfearn@defra.gov.uk

____________

Here is what the DEFRA minister said on January 21, 2025, introducing a 12 week consultation called the Land Use Framework. Below is just a snippet—a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/environment-secretary-announces-land-use-framework

… This is the scale of the challenge we face. And we must do more to restore our natural world while maintaining and strengthening food production.

That is why the Government must go further and faster to support farmers through the transition to a more sustainable way of farming.

But there’s good news too. That transition is already underway. Embracing innovation that will boost long-term food production. Restoring habitats and supporting once-endangered species. Doing things like planting orchards alongside cropland, or restoring and maintaining peatland.

I know from conversations with farmers and landowners that they not only understand the need for change, they are already making change happen.

They know their land best, and it is only right that they lead this transition.

We can make the most of food production, nature’s restoration and economic growth if we support farmers and landowners with better information to help them navigate their way into the future.

That may mean doing things differently, and I know that can be worrying, but the decision on how to manage land will and must always rest with the individual farmer or landowner.

We will work with farmers to shape the framework and support them in making their businesses more sustainable, productive and profitable by opening up Government data so innovators like Tim can put new insights into the hands of farmers, planners and developers when taking their own decisions about the best use for their land.

It will look at how we create the certainty that private investors need to invest in farming businesses, and consider how best to use public funding to secure the most benefits for food production and for nature.

We are working on common sense changes that create a win-win for nature and the economy, and the Land Use Framework is a significant part of that….

Here is another one from DEFRA. Are these efforts to pay farmers to give up some of their authority over their land?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/record-farmers-in-sfi-schemes-as-government-successfully-allocates-sustainable-farming-budget