Landowners and conservationists launch joint vision for the Common Agricultural Policy

The CLA and RSPB are launching their joint vision for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) tonight (27 January) in the European Parliament, through their respective European bodies, the European Landowners' Organisation and BirdLife International.

 European land managers and conservationists are calling for an environmentally friendly future for the CAP in a joint policy paper, Proposals for the future CAP: a joint position from the European Landowners' Organisation and BirdLife International. The paper states that food security and environmental challenges can only be met by European policy with appropriate budget resources - and that this is the task for a reformed CAP. 

The CLA and RSPB say that this will lead to more viable and sustainable farming systems that not only provides the food we all need but also environmental benefits such as cleaner water, reduced global warming and more biodiversity.  These are all clear benefits for the general public and the groups agree that this can only be achieved through increased emphasis on rural development and agri-environment measures.

Douglas Chalmers, Director CLA North, said: "The CLA has always believed that farming must be efficient and competitive to be viable for the long term. We don't always agree with them, but on some crucial issues environmental groups have a great deal in common with land managers, so together with the RSPB we are now setting out these principles on the Common Agricultural Policy.

"Both organisations believe that there must be a European policy and budget to help achieve our objective of Food and Environmental Security.

"The CAP must adapt to meet this century's emerging challenges: the growing demand for food, the dangers of global warming and the threats to Europe's biodiversity and environmental quality."

Mark Avery, RSPB Director of Conservation, said: "Landowners and conservationists may not always see eye to eye but where reforming the CAP is concerned we are very definitely singing from the same hymn sheet.

"The current system needs to be overhauled to reward farmers properly for the environmental benefits they provide and which are so vitally important for protecting wildlife on farmland.

"Skylarks, lapwings and yellowhammers are an intrinsic part of the UK countryside, and we are very pleased to be joining forces with the CLA to help make sure they are still there for many years to come."

Mr Chalmers concluded: "In our part of the world, it is also essential that we secure a viable future for our more extensive livestock producers. We often hear people talking about the "natural" environment. In England there are no great areas of wilderness – the majority of land isn't natural but is managed, and we need to ensure that these land managers are properly rewarded for the non-market products the rest of society currently enjoys for free. Otherwise, the simple and scary truth is that we will lose the farmers, many of the benefits they provide, and never get them back."

Douglas Chalmers – Regional Director - North

Phone: 01539 567597
FAX: 01539 567956
Email douglas.chalmers@cla.org.uk