Farmers should help wildlife: Curry

25 July 2008 07:05pm

Farmers should be required to manage a percentage of their land for the benefit of the environment, a report for the Government has recommended.

The study by Sir Don Curry, which was commissioned in the wake of the EU's decision to ditch the "set-aside" requirement to leave a percentage of land fallow, also said farmers should be encouraged to take voluntary action to protect wildlife.

The report looked at how to avoid losing the environmental benefits of set-aside, which was implemented to stop over-production but has had unintentional benefits for wildlife such as birds.

Sir Don's report suggested the area managed for environmental benefit could still be used for producing crops, but farmers would have to put measures in place such as permanent grass buffers in fields or leave stubble over winter as a source of seed food for birds.

The proposals recommend farmers should be required to put some land in "environmental management" as part of the conditions they must meet to be paid their EU subsidy.

Farmers would also be encouraged to make the most of this land for wildlife through proposed new "top-up" options within the Environmental Stewardship scheme, such as leaving unsown plots to enable skylarks to nest among crops or sowing wildflowers which provide seeds or nectar for wildlife.

But the study said it was not practical to try to implement the requirements in time for the 2008/2009 crop season.

The Government said it accepted the recommendations, and would now look at working out practical details of the plans.

© The Press Association