English farmers could lose cash handouts from Brussels next year unless they agree to make environmental improvements to their land. The European Commission is to announce today an end to the controversial set-aside payment scheme - under which farmers were paid to leave about 8 per cent of their fields fallow - as part of further reform of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP). The payments, intended originally to prevent the creation of grain mountains in Europe, are regarded as outdated, given the worldwide shortage of grain that is being driven by demand from China and India. The payments were suspended this year, but the European Union has ruled that this should now be permanent. Farmers will continue receiving payments from the EU, however, if they make environmental improvements to between 3 per cent and 5 per cent of their land. They will have to agree to keep field margins next to rivers, canals and streams out of production and free from pesticide sprays. French farmers receive handouts from Brussels under the same arrangement.
English farmers could lose cash handouts from Brussels next year unless they agree to make environmental improvements to their land.
The European Commission is to announce today an end to the controversial set-aside payment scheme - under which farmers were paid to leave about 8 per cent of their fields fallow - as part of further reform of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).
The payments, intended originally to prevent the creation of grain mountains in Europe, are regarded as outdated, given the worldwide shortage of grain that is being driven by demand from China and India.
The payments were suspended this year, but the European Union has ruled that this should now be permanent. Farmers will continue receiving payments from the EU, however, if they make environmental improvements to between 3 per cent and 5 per cent of their land. They will have to agree to keep field margins next to rivers, canals and streams out of production and free from pesticide sprays. French farmers receive handouts from Brussels under the same arrangement.
English farmers
French farmers receive handouts from Brussels
There are two kinds of farmers for Murdoch's upscale tabloid : English (sort of good) and French (definitely bad).
All other Europeans (not even Welsh, Scots, Irish?) would only complicate the Eurosceptic/xenophobic frame of the Times's "reporting". When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind
right...but won't that merely result in messy, weedy banks?
better than pesticides, but couldn't something be planted in edible landscaping, which once installed, would shade out the weeds?
trips down canals should be an aesthetic experience, even if they haven't realised the 'commodity' in that yet!
electric barges+organic ag= edible fish in the waterways again...
good start anyway, well done, little grey brussels-men! The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it. Chinese Proverb.
