It must have been a whole three months since I was last updating you on our wildlife-friendly farming campaigning! It’s been a long haul, but we’re nearing the point at which the outcome for our countryside will become clear. You may have seen us elsewhere around the RSPB website asking you to Vote for Nature again. That's because around the UK, Governments are making key decisions on our farming for the next seven years.
The Government are now asking us all in England how the c£2 billion of public money available each year from the agricultural budget should be spent in our countryside until the end of the decade. Because farmland makes up the majority of our countryside, the RSPB believe that it’s right that everyone has their say.
Because our farmland is so important for wildlife, this is the government’s biggest opportunity to act to halt the shocking declines illustrated by the State of Nature report earlier this year, and our big chance to tell them to. By investing in the countryside and boosting support for farmers who give nature a home, our government could help wildlife thrive again. And it's not just wildlife that benefits - a healthy environment underpins our farming and is essential for sustainable food production into the future.
This is a public consultation - have your say too, and ask the government to re-build a countryside richer in nature today.
Once you've sent your email, don't forget to Vote for Nature too! - You'll be directed to our poll from the campaign thank you page.
Of course, those of you outside England will have noticed this consultation is rather country-specific. Watch this space for more on Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, which will follow soon. And in the meantime, visit www.rspb.org.uk/VoteforNature to have your say in our poll.