The Agriculture Bill provides a ‘once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity’ for British agriculture, the President of the
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) Mark Bridgeman has
said, but warned against rushing the transition to the new
payments model.
Whilst the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) is
not due to be universally available for four years, the
transition period towards the new regime is set to begin in less
than a year.
But, as this is the biggest change in funding for the
countryside in almost 50 years, the CLA is urging Government to
delay the start of phasing out Direct Payments until a
comprehensive business adaptation programme is in place –
providing grants, advice and training.
Mark Bridgeman, President of the CLA
said:
“The Environmental Land Management Scheme is a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape farming policy, and
further prove the environmental credentials of the farming
community.
“But less than a year from the beginning of the transition
period we still have no idea how ELMS will work in practice, and
what it will mean for individual farmers.
“We have a tremendous opportunity here, but removing Direct
Payments before the new schemes are ready will put otherwise
viable businesses at risk unnecessarily.
“The CLA has been calling for payments for public goods for
many years and we know that ELMS is an exciting, ambitious and
potentially world-leading policy. That is why it is so
important to get the transition right.
“The vast majority of Direct Payments should not be removed
until individual farmers are able to take up the new
scheme.”
