Politics

Using the skills of farmers is often the best way to improve biodiversity

Written by Countryside Alliance | May 3, 2023 5:11:58 PM

The Countryside Alliance worked with a cross-party group of MPs to help table an 
amendment to an earlier Agriculture Bill to provide the Secretary of State with specific 
powers to provide financial assistance for the purpose of “supporting upland landscapes 
and communities” in England.

Our Briefing Note, which you can read in full below, highlights the following key points:

  • Using the skills and experience of farmers is often the best way to improve 
    biodiversity and secure the future of our vital natural resources.
  • If farming in upland, and other marginal areas, were to be abandoned because of 
    changes to support payments, there would be detrimental effects on the habitat in 
    these areas and the species they support.
  • The conservation work of farmers is often supported by other forms of land 
    management, such as the work of grouse moor managers. More than 80 per cent of 
    English grouse moors fall within a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural 
    Beauty and are popular for outdoor pursuits.
  • England’s uplands have received £230 million per annum from the CAP at 2019 
    prices. As a minimum, this total needs to be guaranteed long term to secure the 
    future of upland farming. The transition from CAP to a new agricultural policy must 
    not be used to reduce the amount of funding to upland communities.
  • The view from the sector is that much work remains to be done for Environmental 
    Land Management Schemes (ELMS) to be in a fit state for full implementation, 
    particularly where applied to upland farms