It's just fascinating.
I've heard farmers say that they want less regulation and that they want to be told what they must do. I've heard them say that they want Pillar 1 of the CAP to be greened and that they don't. I've heard that they want Pillar 2 to be increased and that it won't be. I've heard that they want less government involvement and that they want extra tax relief for some sectors. I've heard that farmers will be in charge because we all need to eat and that the supermarkets have farmers in their grip. I've heard many people use the words intensive farming. I've heard it kindly pointed out that farmers maybe aren't doing too badly compared with others given that single farm payments and agri-environment payments have been unaffected by government cuts and I've heard that some farmers have been driven to despair by late payments from government. I've heard the phrase 'sustainable intensification' quite a lot.
I'm listening.
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.
Thanks for the link, Glossy Ibis - I agree, a forward looking speech. In particular, whilst we are very aware of the impact of the subsidy regime on our own environment we have much less perspective on the effect on international food and farming, in particular undermining farming in some of the world's poorest countries through EU food dumping.
Mark, I know you have respect for Caroline Spelman and I'm sure you heard her talk to the OFC. The link below gives a resume which I find encouraging. Her letter in the Guardian last week was also very positive about the environment and supportive of conservation stragegies.
www.bbc.co.uk/.../uk-politics-12116740
Think you would have a job proving those figures jocky.Lots of farmers are in the hundreds,been there done that got the experience and for sure when he gets out of bed he vgoes to work not claiming massive benefits.
Matthew- how could you ??!! the silph like grace, poise..... Still, I agree with you thatn hopefully Strictly's loss will be conservations gain.
Really interesting comments, Mark - there's real tension there & could farming just be at the crossroads we all (including birds and farmers) need ? There are some huge issues - I strongly agree with Sooty that we could well face a labour crisis before too long because its very hard work and farmers aren't making any money - but also because there has over a long time been a move away from hard physical labour. We simply wouldn't be able to get chainsawyers to fell our trees these days because felling is a really tough, quite dangerous, cold and wet job best viewed from an armchair through rose tinted spectacles ( abit like a milking parlour at 5 in the morning in January !)
I am reassured that the farming community contains such a wide range of opinions and behaviour. Bio-diversity (and, indeed, a secure food supply) depends upon farmers operating in diverse ways, producing different crops and with holding different priorities to one another. The biggest threat to this diversity is surely top-down government policy.
Sad to hear that you are moving on and hope that you are not leaving the environmental sector completely. I'm guessing that you aren't becoming a professional dancer.