Page 54 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #12

WILDNEWS

Wildlife-friendly farming
supports species
such as the barn owl.
Below: Michael Gove’s
Agriculture Bill
is making its way
through Parliament.

ENVIRONMENT

Farmerstoberewardedforbeneitingwildlife

An Agricultural Bill aims to address the balance between farming and conservation.

lans to use public money to support cent of farmers receiving 50 per cent of “We have a 7–10 year transition period to
Pmore wildlife friendly ways of farming the £3bn funding being allocated. change the mindset of some farmers.”
following the UK’s departure from the “Under the new system, farmers and Wildlife groups, such as the RSPB,
EU have reached a vital stage in their land managers who provide the greatest broadly support the aims of the bill –
route through Parliament. environmental benefits will secure the though they are concerned by the lack
The Agriculture Bill – which will largest rewards,” it said in a statement. of guarantees that post-Brexit funding
result in farmers being rewarded for the The Nature Friendly Farming Network, will match that of CAP – while the
benefits they provide, such as which says it unites farmers National Farmers’ Union has accused
healthier soils, cleaner water committed to managing land for the Government of downplaying the
and higher biodiversity, rather DID YOU wildlife, supports the reforms. importance of food production in favour
than for the amount of land KNOW? The network’s chair, Martin of environmental issues.
they own – was due to have Lines, an arable farmer from Georgina Downs, of the UK Pesticides
passed the committee stage Official figures show Cambridgeshire, says a lot Campaign, says the bill will do nothing to
in the House of Commons by that the number of of the detail on how the new reduce agricultural use of pesticides. “70
mid-November. farmland birds in the system of payments will work per cent of the UK is farmland, and only
Launching the legislation in UK has more than will be contained in secondary 3 per cent of it is organic,” Downs
September, the Department for halved since 1970.The and other legislation. “The devil says. “That means we’re spraying
Environment, Food & Rural biggest declines were will be in the detail, and how it chemicals, designed to be toxic,
Affairs (Defra) said the current in the 1970s and 80s, all dovetails together,” he says. over a huge area.” James Fair
subsidy system – under the with turtle doves,grey “Farmers have a bigger role in
Common Agriculture Policy partridges and lapwings society than just growing food, FIND OUT MORE Go to:
(CAP) – favoured the largest particularly badly hit. but the industry only ever talks services.parliament.uk/bills/
landowners, with the top 10 per about production,” he adds. 2017-19/agriculture.html

54 BBC Wildlife