Voluntary approach to take more land out of production (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Voluntary approach to take more land out of production

1:06pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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THE Government is to adopt a voluntary approach to take more land out of production.

Hilary Benn, Defra secretary, announced his decision at the Royal Show and it was immediately welcomed by farming leaders.

The agreement - which Mr Benn described as "groundbreaking" - follows the ending of set-aside last year.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) will, with Natural England, the Environment Agency and RSPB, work to get more farmers into Environmental Stewardship.

They will encourage more voluntary action to help protect water quality, farmland birds, plants and animals typical of local landscapes.

Mr Benn has dropped proposals for a compulsory scheme to take up to five per cent of arable land out of production.

Under the agreement, farmers will increase uncropped land by 20,000 hectares from January 2008 levels. It will also seek to improve the environmental management of at least 60,000 hectares of this land and introduce voluntary measures on a further 30,000 to 50,000 hectares of land. Mr Benn said: "Two-thirds of England's farmers have already put part of their land into an agri-environment scheme, in addition to voluntary action taking place outside this scheme to encourage birdlife and greater biodiversity. But we all agree that we need to do more for the environment."

Peter Kendall, NFU President, said: "We are convinced this is the best solution for both the environment and farm businesses."

Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, CLA president, said: "The targets are stretching but achievable if we all do our bit."

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