Following on from the success of the NFU Tenants conference, Campaign for the Farmed Environment partners are urging landlords to support farmers interested in taking part.
According to a Defra survey carried out earlier this year, many tenant farmers felt that they were unable to support the CFE because of restrictions placed upon them by their landlords.
But during last week’s conference, a panel of industry representatives, questioned by national CFE coordinator Victoria Hicks, reinforced the message that everyone has a part to play.
The agriculture minister Jim Paice told delegates: “The Campaign for the Farmed Environment is a great opportunity for farmers to show they care about the environment. The bottom line is that the campaign demonstrates what farmers can achieve without regulation.”
And NFU President Peter Kendall stressed the urgency for clarity on CAP greening to the Minister before describing the CFE as a great story: “Farmers need to brag more about what we do for the environment,” he added.
Julian Sayers, Chairman of the Tenancy Reform Industry Group focused on the importance of communication between landlords and tenants: “Tenants need to explain effectively what the campaign is and how it can benefit the landlord by supporting it. Landlords should refer to Defra’s code of good practice for agri-environment schemes and diversification projects within agricultural tenancies, he said.
More information on how you can support the Campaign can be found on the website.
The CFE is an industry-led partnership born to maintain and exceed the environmental benefits provided by former set aside land and to fend off future regulation.
The CFE asks farmers to dedicate three to four per cent of their holding to management practices or to gain least a third of their ELS points from certain options.
- Trevor Farrer - 24/11/2011
I can see no benefit in 'set aside'; much rather grow crops for the use of birds, mammals, butterflies, etc.