|
Farming and Rural Development Working Group |
|
Chair: Ian Woodhurst,
CPRE
Vice Chair: Gareth Morgan, RSPB
Secretary: Alexia Wellbelove |
|
The Farming & Rural Development Working
Group lobbies for policies which support and deliver a sustainable, high
quality, multi-functional environment in rural areas. The group seeks to
achieve its aims by direct lobbying of Ministers, Government Department and
Agency officials and by commissioning research on both existing and emerging
rural and agricultural issues. The group produces and publishes a range of
material, including policy positions and research reports providing
information and evidence to influence changes to Government policies and
delivery mechanisms that are important to the Group's aims. Particular areas
of focus for the group are: securing further reform and better
implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy, bioenergy, influencing the
development and revision of agri-environment schemes and the implementation
of the Rural Development Programme for England. |
|
Quarterly Update:
April to June 2008 |
|
The quarter began
with Link being represented at both the AESG meeting and the Nutrient
Management meeting. On 22nd April Natural England took Link
members on a farm visit to learn more about the preparation of a Farm
Environment Plan (FEP). |
|
In May Link
submitted a response to the EU Budget Review consultation. Link also
submitted a copy of our bioenergy policy document, ‘Bioenergy in the UK’,
as evidence to the Renewable Fuels Agency review into the indirect effects
of biofuels - the ‘Gallagher Review’. |
|
Following the
publication of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Health Check Proposals
by the European Commission, Defra launched a consultation on 11th
June
inviting views on the proposed Health Check reforms of the Common
Agricultural Policy and their potential impacts on the UK.
Link’s response will provide an additional opportunity to follow up our
policy perspective on the future of the CAP - ‘Beyond the Pillars’,
which we published in March. The document can be downloaded at
http://www.wcl.org.uk/downloads/2008/Link_Beyond_the_Pillars_11Mar08.pdf |
|
Throughout June
Link representatives attended a number of external meetings on Cross
Compliance, the RDPE’s Programme Monitoring Committee, and a high level CAP
Health Check Stakeholder meeting. |
|
Badgers |
|
This group follows the progress of the Government’s
decision with regard to the culling of Badgers to control Bovine TB. Link
recognises that bovine TB in cattle is a significant issue for livestock
farmers and we support the need to find effective measures to reduce the
impact of this disease and a significant reduction in the incidence and
spread of bovine TB in cattle. The badgers & bTB sub-group calls on
Government to ensure that any measures introduced to tackle bovine TB in
cattle be legal, sustainable, based on sound science and publicly
acceptable. |
|
Quarterly Update:
April to June 2008 |
|
Following the Welsh
Assembly’s announcement on 9th April that they will be endorsing
a trial badger cull in a ‘bovine TB hotspot’ in Wales, Link members are
still awaiting a decision from Defra. No further information has been
released at this time, and it is understood that due to the complexity of
the issue the Government is still considering its response to the recent
Environment Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee report which has been
delayed, with no date yet published as to when this will be available. |
