FWAG enters administration

The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group in England has lost its fight for financial survival and entered administration.

The farming charity had employed 90 advisers, who provided environment and conservation advice to farmers.

However, it has folded after the government slashed its environmental funding in the the comprehensive spending review last autumn.

A senior FWAG source confirmed: “We are officially in administration and we have begun the process of filling in all the paperwork.”

Farmers told of their sadness today (Thursday, 17 November) at the loss of the farming charity.

“It’s a great sadness and disappointment,” said Hertfordshire grower Robert Law. I do hope that the recovery is able to sell bits of it off.

“They have spent the past week to 10 days trying to find a buyer but that has not happened.”

Mr Law, who farms a 1,500ha conservation grade farm on the Herts/Cambs/Essex borders as well as a further 485 ha in Nottinghamshire, said he hoped something could be salvaged from FWAG.

“It has been a very good body. I have used it for 20 years,” he added.

“ELS/HLS schemes were the lifeblood of FWAG, but they have just dried up at the moment.

“The problem is, environmental schemes tend to be boom and bust.

“Everyone’s ELS schemes are up for renewal at the moment, but people are holding off because they do not know what the next CAP reform will bring.”

Oxfordshire grower Simon Beddows farm manager at Phillimore Farms, a privately-owned 1000ha (2500 acres) estate near Reading, added: “It’s a really sad day. FWAG has done an excellent job over the years and were one of the only independent environmental agencies for advice and conservation.”

 “Our farm is in ELS and HLS. FWAG advisers did our HLS scheme this year and they were very helpful.”