End of Set Aside by Farmers?

[stripee]

8% of land is set aside. European Commission agrees to end of scheme, farmers want to plant economic crops inc bio fuels. Would be devestating to some of rarest species. oh dear

[stripee]

Although I heard this today on news radio 4 at 1pm I can't find any links to the news story...except on RSPB site from 2 august The RSPB: News: Details
I hope there will be some alternatives

[Phil Blackman]

A farmer friend yesterday told me that DEFRA had yet to make a final decision. Which had left him and other farmers in a quandry as seed etc had to ordered in advance. If they do order seed and set aside isn't stopped They're in the manure. If they don't prepare for set aside to be cancelled and it is they're still in the brown stuff.

[almostnormal]

i'm not totally aufait with this, but the last i heard they had decided that set aside would come to a close in 2008 and there would be mitigation being built into the cross compliance measures which will mean that a certain percentage of land has to be in what will effectively be set aside, but it will be through the single farm payment. but as phil has said, i think this issus is still under discussion with consultant partners.

[honeybee]

I really hope set aside fields are not done away with but it looks like they will be. I lived near several fields that were turned into set aside and there was a big increase in wildlife from sky larks to lizards when the fields were left alone. It's taken a long time however for the species diversity to get established and the soil to start decomtaminating from the fertilizers and sprays and seems a shame all that could be destroyed.

[Dogghound]

Would be a big loss, especially to species like Harvest Mice, butterflys, and many other wildlife species. Them and the very similar beetle banks are vital to the re-establishment of alot of species. Money-Money-Money

[stripee]

What now for the environment with set-aside at zero...?
Latest I can find.

[nightshade]

The set-aside near me is home to beautiful Hares and is situated where it is overlooked from a lane which makes a splendid view point,I hope we dont lose
this spot

[RantingSquirrel]

Hi my fathers a farmer and yes the set aside rule is due to end very soon. I agree it is a shame. Its a catch-22 however, the EU has set ambitious targets for biofuels, the only way we've a hope of meeting them are by increasing land for rapeseed etc / or importing in. Obviously importing in = habitat destruction (usually in tropics...massive plantations in Indonesia etc...very good new Greenpeace report out called 'cooking the climate' released recently spells out catastrophies occuring at present). We can on otherhand grow more ourselves, obviously affecting countryside stewardship schemes / conservation efforts. This at the same time as raising food crop prices / diminishing quantities (probably affecting aid given as grain to developing nations) as more land is put into biofuel...
It has been said that at present there is no sustainable biofuel being imported to the UK. If this is the case with lower levels of take up, I dread to think what could occur when demand increases further. Its a very very tough one to figure out what is best, weighing up pros/cons etc.

[Ukwildlifeo]

In some areas of N. Kent the set aside is orange with pesticides so there be no loss there. But where they are truly left to nature it will be a great loss

[shirl]

I agree it would be such a sad loss, we have a small holding - I mean small as well- our meadow is grazed occasionally and I leave a very wide margin around the field as I know there are 2 species of orchid and glow worms. I never sent in the paperwork to claim for set aside as it was just too much trouble. Maybe our farmers will voluntarily leave something for nature, let's hope so.
Shirl