As members of CPRE we all have a love for the Countryside around us, the green lanes and hedges that were built up over centuries to make a unique legacy and give us such pleasure to our daily lives.
However, the countryside is also ever changing with new methods of farming and new demands for food production.
Farming is not an ordinary industry; it uses 70% of the land area of England to produce £9 billion of foodstuff but also creates employment and wealth through tourism and the food and drinks industry, and provides us with space for recreation.
These wide ranging uses and the public benefit farming provides have long been recognised, and since 1973 public policy has been supported by direct payments to farmers through the Common Agricultural Policy. With the referendum to leave the EU the CPRE has the opportunity to influence a new national policy to shape the Countryside for the future.
The indication at the moment is that Government is listening to environmental groups and will channel public money to provide public benefit, enhancing payments that will protect the landscape and wildlife of the Country. The final policy will have to balance these wishes with the economics of maintaining farmers’ livelihoods and sustainable food production but the case for more emphasis on the environment is compelling.
The CPRE has already published two reports giving ideas on this crucial subject.
The first paper entitled, “New Model Farming: Resilience through diversity” reviews the effect of subsidises based largely on production volume. As examples 200,000 miles of hedgerows removed from 1947 to 1990, and the dramatic loss of plants and wildlife in the Countryside. Even now, despite many changes in the C.A.P only 15% of subsidy goes for environmental benefit, with 85% being directed to big arable farms many which are able to make profit without subsidy.
The next paper, “Uncertain Harvest does the loss of farms matter” examines the trend for farms to become ever larger. Historically this has probably been seen as inevitable and part of creating a modern efficient farming industry. The paper considers whether the negative effects in reducing the opportunities for new farmers to enter the industry or the lost opportunity of smaller scale but high quality food production need to be looked at in the system that will replace the Common Agricultural Policy. If this is a subject that interests you do look at the reports and should you wish to join the debate you will find the contacts for National Office in the reports or write to me via the Cheshire Branch Office.
Peter Raynes, October 2017