Farmers angry over plan to cut subsidies
Government plans to cut farming subsidies by 15 per cent and transfer the cash to wildlife protection has left farmers "angry and frustrated", the NFU has claimed.
The plans would see a proportion of the money given to farmers in direct payments diverted towards protecting wildlife and stimulating the rural economy.
Most of the current subsidies are given for owning farmland, but under the new plans landowners would have to do more to collect subsidies by leaving existing grassland unploughed, diversifying their crops and setting aside some land for wildlife.
The changes have been prompted by the EU, which this summer set the framework for how the money should be spent under the Common Agricultural Policy.
NFU president Peter Kendall has now written to MPs asking them to reconsider their plans.
"Farmers remain at a complete loss to understand what the government intends to use this money on, and how it can be used effectively for the benefit of their businesses," he said.
"The threat of disproportionate reductions in their payments vis a vis their immediate competitors is making them angry and frustrated with this government."
Mr Kendall also warned MPs that going ahead with the move would risk rural votes.
But one county farmer has welcomed the proposals.
Pat Pimlott, from Park Hill Farm near Market Drayton, said the changes would give more rewards to those farmers already doing work to protect the environment.
"This has been a growing trend with the Government over quite a few years and I think a lot of farmers welcome it because it gives the public confidence that you can farm with the environment in mind," she said.
"A lot of farms are doing a lot of work for the environment and this means those farmers will be rewarded, rather than at the moment when farms are doing a huge amount for the environment and not being paid.
"We all do so much for the environment, and if the subsidy is going to be more towards that then that's good."
The Government is set to make a final decision on the plans soon.
A Defra spokesman said: "Our environmental and rural growth schemes have delivered real benefits to the natural environment and rural economy.
"We want to build on these schemes' success by channelling into them some of the money from the budget for farmers' direct payments.
"We have sought views on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy in England and will make an announcement shortly."
