Sarah Dodds
FCA
Head of Agriculture, Partner
Sarah’s strength lies in helping ambitious, owner-managers to reach their goals. Her clients not only benefit from the emphasis she puts on having the right management information upon which to base decisions but her ability to summarise their position and make timely and appropriate recommendations. With expertise gained in the Manufacturing sector, Sarah helps manufacturing businesses with all aspects of strategic and financial matters – guiding them through the complex issues that require the right decisions.
The commercial world plays a major role in Sarah’s life but being married to a farmer and living on a mixed farm, has afforded her the opportunity to understand and appreciate the agricultural sector at first hand. As head of the firm’s Agriculture & Rural Business sector, Sarah has brought her considerable personal agricultural knowledge to this sector, enabling her to develop an insight into farming & agricultural businesses not usually available to other accountancy professionals.
Sarah leads the Cloud Accounting Sector for the firm. With her dedicated Cloud team, Sarah advises clients on the best way forward using the various software packages and Apps available.
Expertise
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My latest insights
Leaving the land - will it happen?
There has been some suspicion that there is a not particularly well hidden agenda behind the current subsidy reforms aimed at improving productivity, in part, by encouraging older and less progressive farmers to retire and make way for younger or more commercial successors.
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Good News for Capital Allowance Claims on Storage Facilities
Business owners, and farmers in particular, have for some years been arguing that modern storage and processing facilities are far closer in design and use to a large and complex piece of machinery than they are to a simple building which keeps the contents safe and dry. The difference is key for tax purposes, since buildings will only be due a modest “structures and buildings” allowance of 3% annually, whereas plant and equipment can be eligible for Annual Investment Allowance, which can mean 100% relief on expenditure up to £1,000,000 per annum.
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Changes to Making Tax Digital for Farmers
On 20th July HMRC confirmed a further development in the introduction of Making Tax Digital (MTD). These changes are likely to be particularly challenging for farming businesses.
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Total Income from Farming 2020 - Disappointing results
Disappointing results for the 2020 Total Income from Farming (TIFF) which is recorded as the lowest since 2016.
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Budget 2021 - What’s in it for agriculture?
We discuss what impact the Budget will have on the agriculture sector.
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Covid-19 and the Agricultural Economy
We explore the impact of COVID-19 on the UK agricultural and rural sector
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The End of an Era?
We discuss the Autumn outlook for the Agriculture & Rural Business sector
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Can British Agriculture Survive in World Market?
Find out how the UK will be able to compete, particularly in the field of commodity crops, against the massive production scale of other countries
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Trust Registration Service (TRS) – latest news
The latest news on the Trust Registration Service (TRS)
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Capital Gains Tax - Are there clouds on the horizon?
Is there a change for Capital Gains Tax in the air?
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Important changes in the Basic Payment Scheme Greening Rules for 2021
We explore the recent DEFRA announcement highlighting important changes in the Basic Payment Scheme.
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Proposed Changes to Inheritance Tax Reliefs – Would hit Farmers Hard
A proposal from the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on Inheritance and Fairness, which was issued on 29th January would, if taken up by the Treasury, have a huge impact on the farming industry, and if it came at the same time as the changes proposed in the Agriculture Bill, could be little short of catastrophic for the industry – and for the environment.
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Friday 13th December 2019 – A date to remember for farmers
Friday 13th December 2019 is a date which is likely to be remembered for many years.
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What size is the average farm?
It is a commonly quoted fact that the number of farms in the UK is shrinking, whilst the average size is increasing.
We explore this trend in this trend and what it means for future farmers.
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Inheritance Tax reliefs – another attack?
Amidst all the furore surrounding Brexit and the consequences for agriculture and owners of farmland, it is easy to concentrate on the day to day news whilst overlooking some of the reports which do not immediately hit the headlines.
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All change for landlord and tenant
Outlines details of the government's initiative aimed at the residential tenancy sector.
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All change for agricultural tenancies?
Yet another aspect of the Government's view for the future of the farming industry was unveiled in April with the issue of a consultation paper on proposed changes to the legislation governing agricultural tenancies.
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DEFRA 2019 Farm Practices Survey – key points from UK farms
We discuss the key points from the DEFRA 2019 Farm Practices Survey
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Is your farm fit for the future?
The future for UK agriculture has been set out in the Agriculture Bill.
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Are grain stores eligible for tax relief?
We discuss the case for tax relief on grain stores
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No-deal Brexit advice for agriculture
Our experts provide key advice for the agriculture sector in the case of a no-deal Brexit.
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Farm incomes in 2018 down by 15%
DEFRA suggest that farm incomes for 2018 will be down by some £860m, a reduction of over 15%.
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Increased Annual Investment Allowance for 2019 – the stumbling blocks
For most agricultural businesses the key announcement of the 2018 Budget will not be the change in personal tax rates or allowances (welcome as they are), but the increase in Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) from £200,000 to £1m.
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Budget changes in Capital Gains Tax rules - what they might mean down on the farm.
what they might mean down on the farm
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Budget 2018 – The Effects on Agriculture?
Most of the immediate reaction to Phillip Hammonds 2018 Budget statement dwelt on the headline grabbing increase in personal allowances and the question of whether or not the Budget marked an end to austerity.
Behind these key issues lie some 281 pages of detailed explanatory notes and tables, containing a number of changes which failed to grab the headlines but which are of considerable relevance to agricultural businesses.
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Good news and bad in the run up to the Agriculture Bill
In June, Michael Gove announced that the 2018 Agriculture Bill was likely to be presented in July...
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Preparing for a new world in agriculture
Following the conclusion of the “Health and Harmony” consultation the government will, amongst other minor issues on its agenda, “introduce an Agriculture Bill that breaks from the CAP, providing the United Kingdom with the ability to set out a domestic policy that will stand the test of time.”
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Clarification from Rural Payments Agency RE: Mid-Tier Stewardship scheme
It is generally accepted that the initial take up of Mid-Tier Stewardship was disappointing, with the majority of the businesses which came out of the Entry Level Scheme deciding against participating in the replacement arrangement.
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Budget 2017 – the agricultural perspective
As those involved in the industry will be well aware, agriculture operates in an environment which is often quite detached from the broader economy. Looking beyond the headline grabbing initiatives on housing, jobs and the NHS and into the finer detailed aspects, this Budget seems reasonably benign for the industry.
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The practical implementation of FRS 102
FRS 102 and FRS 105 have now been with us for well over eighteen months, and the first sets of small business accounts for which the new standards are mandatory are in the course of production and approval.
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Reviewing Your Will - A good idea for the next wet day on the farm?
Most commentators would agree that over the last generation, the farming community has enjoyed a relatively benign capital tax regime. Normally farms are eligible for substantial levels of Inheritance Tax (IHT) relief, and the absence of any charge on lifetime transfers has made passing on the family farm a relatively painless exercise
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Autumn Statement 2016 – the rural impact
At first glance Philip Hammond’s first Autumn Statement seemed remarkably short on announcements...
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The ‘End of The season of Goodwill’ for Farmers?
In the Autumn Statement we saw the acceleration of Capital Gains Tax on some property sales...
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Relevant Office
Peterborough
1 The Forum
Minerva Business Park
Peterborough
PE2 6FT
T: +44 (0)1733 568491
We’re looking for an experienced Transaction Services Manager to join our growing 
