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Statement by CLA President William Worsley on the CRC's The State of the Countryside Report CLA President William Worsley said: "The State of the Countryside Report may show the dynamism and resilience of the rural economy compared with other sectors, but that is no excuse for government indifference.
"As the report notes, the countryside is about farming and the environment. The landscape and wildlife depend on the way in which land is managed. We therefore need policies in place that recognise this connection and promote both farming and the environment.
"We need policies that will provide enough food and provide farmers with a secure and stable income. This will require greater investment in new technologies and development and in training.
"However, none of this can be at the expense of the environment. Water pollution and air pollution need to be cut. Soil fertility needs to be improved, and we must reduce the general deterioration in the natural environment.
"Most of these issues are dealt with at EU, rather than national, level. We therefore need a government which recognises that one of the biggest challenges it faces is to make the case in Europe for sufficient funding."
Mr Worsley added: "However, of course the countryside is not just about farming. It hosts a whole range of small businesses and many, if not most, farmers now do more than just farm.
"We therefore need a planning system that will facilitate a certain amount of small-scale development. Unfortunately, we are presently a long way from this. The planning system is both cumbersome and expensive. It inhibits enterprise to such an extent that all too often even the most innocuous and beneficial proposals are turned down.
"The planning system must be reformed so it is positive, flexible, transparent and efficient and recognises the need to work with the grain of rural businesses and rural communities. It must also accept the demands of land use changes.
"Finally, as many, if not all, rural businesses compete with urban businesses, it is vital that rural businesses have access to effective and affordable broadband if the digital divide is not to grow even wider." |
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