Farming practices shape the countryside that produces our food and creates the habitats for the fauna and flora that contribute to the experience when we go walking. Farming has faced a number of challenges in recent years from the fall of incomes to the terrible impacts of the Foot and Mouth outbreak.
The Europe wide Common Agricultural Policy has encouraged over-production of food and has resulted in environmental damage through encouraging intensive farming practices.
The RA supports calls for subsidies for production to be reduced and redirected to agri-environment schemes that support farm incomes and ensure that wildlife is able to flourish.
Agri-environment schemes review
Following the Foot and Mouth Outbreak in 2001 the Government announced a series of reviews into the future of agriculture in Britain. The RA has been following this process closely and met with DEFRA officials and responded to a number of consultations, including the Policy Commission on the Future of Food and Farming. The RA would like to see any changes to the current suite of agri-environment schemes achieve the following objectives:
- A more accessible countryside
- Better opportunities to provide new links to the existing rights of way network
- Better access for those with disabilities
- Increased opportunities for educational visits to reconnect the consumer with the way their food is produced
After a concerted RA campaign, rights of way have been included amongst the cross-compliance measures which are part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms. The Single Payment Scheme (SPS) replaces most existing crop and livestock payments from 1 January 2005. The new scheme breaks the link between production and support. Instead, farmers are being asked to demonstrate that they are keeping their land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC), and to comply with a number of specified legal requirements relating to the environment, public and plant health, animal health and welfare, and livestock identification and tracing. Meeting these requirements is described in the CAP legislation as 'cross compliance'. Rights of way are covered under GAEC 8. In brief, to meet the requirements of GAEC 8, a farmer must not obstruct or disturb the surface of a right of way (except when exercising the statutory right to plough under section 134 of the Highways Act 1980 after which reinstatement is required), and must also maintain any stile or gate across a footpath or bridleway in a safe condition.
If you are concerned about agricultural issues in your area, please contact your local group for assistance. To find details of your local group, please visit our Groups finder page.
