Guardian UK: Eco-farming ditched as food prices soar

Eco-farming ditched as food prices soar
Crop profits are tempting farmers away from schemes to preserve wildlife


Caroline Davies The Observer, Sunday May 25 2008

Soaring food prices are threatening to inflict widespread ecological damage on the countryside, as farmers abandon environmentally friendly schemes that have improved much of the landscape.

Government-backed environment schemes (ELS, or entry level stewardship) are having to compete with market pressures on farmers as crop values escalate. If farmers start to back out, much of the good work achieved since the schemes were introduced 21 years ago could be destroyed. The Observer can reveal that a survey by the National Farmers' Union shows that two-thirds of farmers who signed up to the schemes failed to renew them when contracts expired. They cited high commodity prices as well as 'disenchantment' with the way the schemes were now run.

At the most basic level, the schemes pay farmers £30 a hectare (2.49 acres) to replace cultivated areas with grassy margins, or to restore and manage hedgerows. At a higher level, larger payments are targeted at preserving rare and valuable features and species. The schemes have been hailed a huge success, improving farmland and wading bird numbers, restoring populations of rare stone curlews and cirl bunting, and protecting the traditional cornflower and small mammals such as the harvest mouse.

In addition, they have seen more than 11,000km (6,835 miles) of hedgerows being restored or newly planted, the building of 2,600km (1616 miles)of dry-stone walls and the opening up of more than 2,500 footpaths and bridleways to the public. In all £2.9bn has been earmarked for such schemes over the next seven years. But recent changes have upset farmers, who claim that rules introduced in 2005 to replace old classic schemes are not viable and would take more land out of production at a time when it did not make financial sense. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/may/25/ruralaffairs.food

As pressures increase people turn to the cheapest, most productive, most expedient means of satisfying growing demand.

Is anyone surprised?

Is there a message here for the future?

problem, deal with it then -- don't wait 30 years because somebody's (financial) ox will be gored."

But, of course, a country run only on how to get the most money out of the next quarter will never do any long-term planning of any kind.

Diversity is fine until the machine needs you.