The latest CAP reform proposals have left most involved in UK farming exasperated. While there is a drive towards simplification by getting every country on to a flat rate and removing any historic referencing, to implement all the proposals would create more bureaucracy and more red tape. The thought of trying to police them all would be another matter.

One of the biggest areas of concern appears to be the “greening” proposals, especially the requirement for 7% of arable land to be placed into “ecological focus areas”.

It appears that this will be across all holdings and in addition to any obligations the farmer has committed to under environmental stewardship. If so, growers who already have areas – in our case 10% – taken out of arable production and placed into schemes, may question whether to cancel or not to renew at the end of their current agreement.

Proposals about “capping” payments and only directing them to active farmers would only produce a flurry of activity as businesses alter their status to iron out problems with contract farming and management agreements.

Meanwhile, news that FWAG is going into administration is a bitter blow. The organisation has been instrumental in getting CFE off the ground and helping to deliver HLS. FWAG advisers have been helping us here for over 20 years and we have always found their enthusiasm, advice and professionalism first rate.

Constantly differing signals being sent from the EU and the UK government resulting in boom and bust funding of schemes has led to a fall off in HLS applications, which were the lifeblood of FWAG. Let’s hope something can be salvaged and the only independent source of on-farm conservation advice can continue.

law@thrift.freeserve.co.uk

farmer focus arable