Call to increase funds for Green farmers

03 March 1998

Call to increase funds for "Green" farmers

COUNTRYSIDE organisations throughout Europe will press the European Commission to substantially increase funding for environmentally-friendly farming.

Next Monday, they will call on European agriculture commissioner Franz Fischler for the farm budget to be weighted more towards the environment in reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The UKs Countryside Commission will present him with the proposal from
sister organisations in 18 European Union and east European countries.

The objectives include cutting the use of fertilisers and agrochemicals,
grazing fewer animals per hectare, maintaining abandoned farmland, improving traditional landscape features and allowing greater public access.