Government adviser Donald Curry has called on farmers in England
to make the best of the situation they find themselves in as a
result of what look set to be the
highest modulation rates in Europe.
The government announced last week that
the voluntary modulation rate in England would be 12% in 2007
rising to 14% in 2010. This will be on top of the EU compulsory
modulation rate of 5%.
Sir Don said that it was "unfortunate" that producers in
different parts of the UK and Europe would face different
rates.
But he said that English farmers needed to make sure that they
claimed their share of modulated funds by taking part in one of the
environmental stewardship schemes.
"Farmers must put themselves forward to access funding. We are
where we are, and rather than see it as a depressing picture we've
got to make the most of it and harness the resources we do have to
best effect."
Sir Donald said the real reason for such a high rate of
voluntary modulation was the UK's poor rural development allocation
from Europe.
The
UK's budget rebate from Europe was another major issue, as any
extra spending on rural development reduced what the Treasury got
back from the EU.
"In my view, if [EU farm commissioner] Mariann Fischer Boel is
looking to move to a single common rate of modulation across
Europe, we need to do that in parallel with a review of the total
funding available to England," he said.
"We also should look at surrendering the rebate in return for
additional [rural development] funding. It is high politics but
we've got the funding deficit because of it."