Landowners want greener CAP

07 December 1998

Landowners want greener CAP

THE Country Landowners Association (CLA) has called for almost £1 billion a year to be switched from Common Agricultural Policy production subsidies into caring for the environment.

The CLA wants a third of the subsidies spent in Britain under the CAP to be spent on green farming.

It also wants a redirection of subsidy away from the most intensively managed farms towards the hills and traditionally-managed farms.

The landowners call for the £3bn a year spent in Britain under the CAP on production support to be split instead between agriculture, green payments and rural development.

The CLA has described as “hopelessly inadequate” existing European Union proposals to spend 5% of the CAP budget on “green” farm schemes.

• The Daily Telegraph 07/12/98 page 8