Page 2 - Natural World Spring 2018
P. 2

UK NEWS

                Wildlife Trusts call
                for a farming rethink

                New report proposes a better way to spend public
                money on agriculture after the UK leaves the EU

                Leaving the EU is a rare                                 environmental needs using local data   similar cost to today’s system,
                       chance to reverse the                             and consultation with local people.    public benefits would massively
                       fortunes of the wildlife, soil,                   Linking farmers together and           increase. For the first time, all good
                water and habitats which post-war targeting investment where it is most                         quality habitat in the area would be
                agricultural policy has depleted.                        needed will restore habitats and join  well managed and expanded. £14m
                That’s the message in a new                              them up.”                              would be invested in natural flood
                report by The Wildlife Trusts on the The report suggests the current UK                         management over 10 years.
                future of farming and land                               agriculture budget of £3bn could       n More on wildlifetrusts.org/
                management in England. What                              fund the new system. We currently      farming
                Next for Farming? suggests that                          spend £144bn on health, £87bn on
                once the UK leaves the EU’s                              education and £37bn on defence.         Westminster
                Common Agricultural Policy,                              A study of the River Aire               seems to agree!
                payments to farmers should be                            catchment shows how this idea
                linked to a wide range of benefits, could work. A Yorkshire Wildlife                              Environment Secretary Michael
                for people and wildlife.                                 Trust report concludes that for a        Gove has also announced that
                “At the moment, farmers can                                                                       the Government intends to
                sell the food they grow through                                                                   change the current approach to
                the market. But they can’t sell a       matthew roberts                                           farm payments. Whilst we
                whole range of benefits or                                                                        welcome the proposals, one big
                services that society needs,”                                                                     risk remains. Vast areas of
                says Ellie Brodie, Senior Policy                                                                  farmland currently receive ‘basic
                Manager at The Wildlife Trusts.                                                                   payments’, which require
                “Our report proposes three                                                                        positive management of wildlife
                public funds. The money would                                                                     habitats, such as hedgerows.
                be allocated through local                                                                        When these payments end, new
                environment plans designed to                                                                     regulations will be required to
                achieve nature’s recovery. These                                                                  replace them.
                plans would be allocated                                 Restoring peat uplands
                through local nature recovery                            would be more profitable
                plans – identifying                                      than degrading them

                For a similar cost to today’s system,
                public benefits would massively increase

don sutherland

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