The EFRA Committee has announced its intention to hold an oral evidence session on the Natural Environment White Paper, which is due to be published by Defra in early June.
The NFU commented in depth last year on the main themes emerging from Defra’s discussion document on the natural environment, the forerunner to the White Paper.
They included the importance of using markets and the economy to deliver environmental improvement alongside economic recovery, delivering multiple benefits at a landscape scale, partnerships, local action and encouraging 'Big Society'-style working.
Key to our concerns is that there is a need for the actions in the White Paper to be compatible with increasing food production.
We stressed that managing farming’s influence on the environment must be implemented in such a way that food production and the environment go hand in hand.
The committee has also invited written submissions on initial reactions to the White Paper by the 21 June. The NFU will be responding.
See also: NFU response to the debate on the Natural Environment
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