NFU: Farmers must balance green role
6 June 2000
NFU: Farmers must balance green role
FARMERS are front-line troops in the battle to improve the environment, but this must be balanced against the industrys fight to survive, a leading union representative will tell MPs.
National Farmers Union vice president Richard Watson Jones will deliver this message to the Environment Sub-Committee inquiry on UK Biodiversity, on Tuesday (6 June).
Mr Watson Jones will tell the committee that farmers farming community “takes very seriously” the challenge to conserve biodiversity.
But he will add: “Our success in meeting this challenge depends on willing, equal partnerships, increased understanding and, fundamentally a healthy agriculture industry.”
Mr Watson Jones will point out that EU and British environmental support initiatives have not been adopted around the world.
This, together with the continued opening of world markets, brings pressure on UK producers.
The NFU will ask for a more streamlined planning system, help implementing conservation controls, and more co-ordinated advice for farmers.