Publications
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Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) Launched on November 5th, is an industry-wide campaign aimed at recapturing the environmental benefits that were provided by set-aside before its abolition over the past two years. Crucially, it has the support and direct participation of not only Natural England and the Environment Agency, but also conservation bodies including the RSPB and county wildlife trusts. The campaign’s lead partners are the NFU and CLA, supported by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC), Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC), Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) and Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF). The campaign will focus on three key themes: resource (soil and water) protection, farmland birds, farmland wildlife. The voluntary campaign will be working largely with arable farmers – those who previously had set-aside – who are either in or outside of Environmental Stewardship (ES). We will be working closely with Natural England to help them meet their targets of increasing the number of farmers in ES agreements through encouraging renewal of agreements (which will begin from 2010) and new take-up for those not already in the scheme. The campaign will also seek to encourage farmers to retain and record all areas of uncropped land and improve the environmental management of a third of this. This means uncropped land outside of agri-environment schemes (such as ES) which can include field corners and woodland edges which aren’t cropped due to being damp, shady, difficult to establish etc as well as land managed for specific purposes e.g. game cover or buffer strips to help protect waterways, already required under pesticides legislation. The other key aim of the campaign will be to encourage the adoption of voluntary environmental measures. 15 land management options have been identified which could provide the greatest benefits with regard to the three key themes described above. These are similar management options to those found in ES but they are entirely voluntary, less prescriptive and more flexible. As with ES, we are encouraging greater adoption of the in-field options (which include skylark nesting plots, overwintered stubbles and buffer strips) which are less commonly found than other options such as management of boundary features for environmental purposes, e.g. hedgerow and ditch management. The 15 voluntary measures are aimed at farmers who don’t wish to participate in ES (perhaps for bureaucratic reasons) but who wish to improve their farmland environment. In addition, we are also encouraging farmers in ES to do a little bit more ’above and beyond’ by implementing one or more of the voluntary measures. The campaign will be delivered by county liaison groups, of which there are six covering East Anglia( Beds, Cambs, Essex Herts, Nfk, Sfk). Representatives from many of the organisations listed above will sit on these groups which will organise and manage promotional activity and events, such as farm walks, to engage other farmers. Defra have made it clear that if CFE objectives are not met by June 2012 then legislation requiring mandatory 5% set aside may be enacted. The NFU sees this voluntary approach as being more intelligent and sophisticated than a blanket approach – the CFE allows for the targeted application of environmental measures in the locations where they will have the most benefit. This will deliver grater environmental improvements than the one-size-fits-all regulatory approach initially proposed by Defra. We also see this as a way of demonstrating how well such partnerships and voluntary schemes can work which may mean that future proposed legislation can be substituted for a similar approach. The campaign will seek to fit in with and complement, rather than duplicating existing schemes such as the Voluntary Initiative (www.voluntaryinitiative.org.uk/) and Catchment Sensitive Farming. More can be found at www.cfeonline.org.uk and I have attached a presentation which provides further information on the campaign. Do get in touch if you would like further information.
Electronic Identification (EID)
Bluetongue
Fallen StockAs of January 2009, the free collection of cattle that die on farm over 24 months of age comes to an end. It will now be the responsibility of the livestock owner to arrange and pay for appropriate disposal of cattle that die on farm or during transport. Cattle over 48 months of age will still have be tested for BSE. This means that knackermen must be specifically licenced to accept beasts over 48 months of age. Defra are encouraging farmers to sigh up to the National Fallen Stock Company (www.nfsco.co.uk) who are essentially a middleman with whom farmers can register to find an appropriate local knackerman. Payment (inclusing an administrative fee) are made to the NFSCo via direct debit and the knackerman paid accordingly. Defra are subsidising the NFSCo with £2 million, but it is not anticipated that this subsidy will last long. Alternatively, contact your local Animal Health Divisional Office. Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Animal Health Divisional Office Tel: 01245 358383 Nightline: 01245 353632 Email: AH.Chelmsford@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk
Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk Animal Health Divisional Office Tel. 01284 778150 NIghtline 01284 778150 Email: Edmunds@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk Publications
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