A new RSPB campaign which calls for more to be done to protect the nation’s biodiversity fails to take into account the real progress that has been achieved in the management of Britain’s farmland, according to the NFU.

Peter Kendall The ‘Stepping up for Nature’ report aims to set out a roadmap to 2020 and asks government, businesses and individuals to play their part for nature.

It claims the face of our countryside has changed dramatically and argues that major changes are needed to the Common Agricultural Policy to encourage more environmentally friendly farming.

While agreeing that more can be done across Europe to preserve biodiversity, NFU President Peter Kendall said it was unfair to lay the blame solely at farming's door for changes in farmland bird numbers. He added that the RSPB has yet to recognise the good work that has happened, including massive changes to the CAP.


Peter Kendall said: “Since 2007, the Rural Development Programme for England has accounted for a significant £3.9 billion of the CAP for the period 2007 to 2013. The main focus of the RDPE is to support agri-environment schemes which enable farmers to participate in positive environmental management of the countryside.

“These schemes already have an annual budget of some £490m/year and have enabled 69% of the agricultural area in England to be under some form of scheme to enhance the environment - an impressive step change.

“On the RSPB’s criticism of farmland bird numbers, there are lots of factors that influence these – like extreme weather, predators and urbanisation – as well as farming practices.

 “The RSPB knows that changes to the CAP, especially the development of targeted agri-environment schemes, have also increased populations of certain scarce farmland birds like cirl buntings by a massive 130% (1992-2003) and stone curlews by 87% (1997-2005). Populations of farmland specialist species like the goldfinch and the whitethroat have also increased.”

“And efforts by farmers towards meeting the Water Framework Directive have also had a positive impact on river habitats with many now thriving. The 2010 otter survey of England showed that the number of sites with evidence of otter life had increased tenfold in the past 30 years - exceeding the 2015 targets set in the revised Biodiversity Action Plan.

“The launch of the Campaign for the Farmed Environment in 2009, which the report strangely fails to acknowledge, as well as the good work farmers are doing as part of the scheme, has had a real impact in helping farmers and growers decide how they might best retain and increase the environmental benefits provided by their farmland in a targeted and agronomically sensible way.

“The uptake of key target options for ELS and HLS, that deliver most for wildlife and resource protection, now stand at nearly 40% towards the target for June 2012.

“The NFU has a constructive engagement with the RSPB and will continue to work positively with it as a leading conservation organisation. But to hear the RSPB's conservation director on television and radio yesterday morning blaming our industry for a decline in the countryside is shameful and does nothing to foster progressive dialogue with farmers.

“What is more, to suggest that changes to agricultural policy have led to increased fertiliser and pesticide use is completely at odds with the facts.

“Between 1990 and 2008 the use of pesticides fell by around 37% and the continued success of the Voluntary Initiative, which promotes responsible pesticide use in UK, shows what can be achieved by industry working together with stakeholders, Government and regulators in a ‘Big Society’ approach to responsible pesticide use. Meanwhile, fertiliser use dropped by a massive 40 per cent between 1998 and 2008. These facts demonstrate that the use of inputs has declined in recent years and refute any claims from the RSPB that modern agriculture is intensifying as it is clearly not.

“What is not needed is the persistent blame-laying at farmers’ doors, or disregard for the huge achievements of years of agri-environment schemes and other voluntary activity. Farmers and growers can be relied upon to conserve the natural environment so long as we are provided with the right opportunities, information and incentives to do so.”