Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) South Yorkshire
protecting the countryside - for the nation, for the future

Farming & Landscape intertwined

Most of our treasured landscapes, for example hedgerows and woodlands, have come into being because they were farmed or managed in particular ways. So what might current changes in farming practices mean for the South Yorkshire countryside?

Farming is currently going through immense changes, some brought about by long-standing calls by environmentalists to make farming more wildlife and landscape friendly. Very few now deny that for much of the twentieth century the push for production using financial subsidies from the UK government and the European Union has caused great damage to the countryside.

The more recent agri-environment schemes now encourage conservation-friendly farming and much wildlife is returning. But the newest schemes introduced this year will now phase out all production subsidies and pay only for the area of land farmed plus additional monies for providing extra environmental benefits. This is called the Single Payment Scheme and farmers can also opt into higher 'tiers' of allowances called 'Environmental Stewardship'.

Sounds great in principle, but what will it really do for the countryside as a whole?

First of all the good news is that, if you join the scheme, respecting basic environmental principles becomes mandatory. Most farmers do this as a matter of good husbandry or have been encouraged in this direction in recent years. However, some new elements of protection are now offered, one of which is maintenance of dry stone walls and hedgerows. Previously walls had no protection in law or policy, so this is a significant step forward - but only if it can be enforced.

The not so good news is that the changes may have unintended consequences. To begin with they could have a depressing effect on farming livelihoods in some areas. Other problems could arise if farmers attempt to get around the rules. We already know of one case where, it seems a wall was taken down just prior to the new regulations coming into force. This and similar local cases suggest a small but worrying trend of some farmers trying to circumvent the law before it bites. The case also exposed difficulties in the Single Payment Scheme complaints procedure, which are still unresolved.

Visit the CPRE National Office Debate

'2026 Vision - What future for the countryside?'

 

Picture top left: Hay bales lying in the fields at Upper Whiston, Rotherham