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Billions to boost rural development programme

12/12/2007

viewIt was reported on Thursday 6 December that the English countryside was to receive a major boost in funding through the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) 2007-2013 which was agreed by the European Union’s development committee. The new programme has a budget of £3.9 billion and will be funded by the Government and by the EU through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. This new figure sees a major increase on the figure assigned for the 2000 – 2006 programme.

In summary the money will be allocated as follows:

·         £3.3 billion allocated to agri-environment and other land management schemes to help farmers manage land in a more sustainable way and improve bio-diversity, water quality and also help in tackling climate change.

·         £600 million will be available to increase competition and sustainability in agriculture and forestry.

The new RDPE will, however, have an impact on those who submitted Environmental Stewardship applications after January 2007 resulting in changes being required to the provisional agreements currently in place. As a brief summary the changes made to the Environmental Stewardship agreements are:

·         Those farms in existing Nitrate Vulnerable Zones will need to include the required changes which  relate to the proposed revisions to the Nitrates Action Programme

·         Management Plan Options are being withdrawn

·         A Review Clause will be inserted into agreements

It is reported that all holders of provisional agreements will be contacted by Natural England shortly with a detailed explanation of the changes affecting current agreements.  

For further information, please contact Helena Saunderson at the Stafford office on 01785 220044. 

 

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