CPRE welcome government move to retain green benefits of set aside land

The Government should be congratulated on making an urgently needed move to protect the environment on farmland. This was the verdict of CPRE today to the decision by Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, to take forward the key recommendation by Sir Don Curry's expert group for a replacement for the set aside scheme. This will require farmers to put a percentage of their land into primarily environmental management. 'This decision is good news for our wildlife, our rivers and streams and our landscapes. But we need to make sure enough land is dedicated to this task. We suggest this should be a minimum of 5% of cropped land which is not covered by any other green farming rules' said Ian Woodhurst, CPRE's senior farming campaigner. CPRE is concerned that the proposed abolition of the set aside scheme by the... [read full story]