Hello all
You may have seen this on the news or on some of the other blogs on this site, see here and here, there is the possibility that EU policy changes could result in the funding for wildlife friendly farming initiatives being cut. The benefits to wildlife and in particular farmland birds can be amazing if these schemes are applied in the right way, we want CAP reform to benefit farmers and wildlife, removing this funding at such a crucial time could be catastrophic.
You can help farmers, farmland birds and other wildlife associated with the farmed environment by a simple e-action, click here and join us, it took me less than a couple of minutes to enter details, tweek the email and press send, your support is much needed and much appreciated!
Thank you.
Warden Intern at Otmoor.
Hi Sooty, it's not clear from your post who or what you are referring to. If you wish to, please clarify so we can all see what has caused your upset?
Hi Ian,pleased to clear it up.Articles have been from previous RSPB officer Mark Avery,think one from Charles Clover(think that the name) but worse was present RSPB Conservation officer confusingly quoting apparrently Charles Clover but seeming as if it was his article.Presumably as he quoted it he agreed with it anyway.
My gripe is that they have in consequence harmed wildlife as farmer bashing will not help wildlife and I have spent considerable time and effort trying to improve relations between farmers and conservationists as I have a foot in both camps.
Signed this campaign in early days and do not know if I would have done after the said articles.I realise they pay taxes just like me but they only ever gripe about what they see as misuse of money to farmers and we all know there are lots of different misuse of our taxes.
Conservationists which I inclde myself need to realise that well over 90% of population see food as more important than conservation if it comes to the crunch and as I pointed out earlier this country fortunately is well fed.
All that concerns me is the relations between the two sides that I misguidedly thought were much improved.Conservationists could have easily asked for what they wanted without resorting to dirty trick of farmer bashing
Hi Sooty, I've been through the links and can't find any comments that I would consider 'farmer bashing'. Throughout this campaign we have been working with farmers to try to get the best deal from the EU budget for farmers and wildlife together. We have narrowly averted a major catastrophe but it still feels like a kick in the teeth. There is much more work to be done on this and we need to pull together to achieve this.
Hi Ian,you will find that Martin Harper I believe has now deleted his copy of Charles Clovers nasty piece which has mentions of cutting pillar one from farmers which represents the food subdsidy part of grants also mentions means testing before getting grants and of course Mark Avery agrees with Charles Clover.Wonder if Mark and RSPB employees would like means testing.Shall not comment on this thread again as I from know reading what farmers think how they are annoyed by it.
Several farmers on Twitter have been backing Mark Avery and the RSPB.
For once I thought everyone was singing from the same song sheet ...
Ant
"IT IS SAID THAT LIFE FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES BEFORE YOU DIE. THAT IS TRUE, IT'S CALLED LIVING."Death - Terry Pratchett (The Last Continent).