CLA Says Welsh Assembly Government Has Got It Wrong On Agri-Environment Payments

The CLA President today urged Huw Irranca-Davies not to allow England to follow the Welsh Assembly Government approach to agri-environment payments.

The CLA President met with the Biodiversity Minister this afternoon to discuss the issue of what are known as dual claims.

CLA President William Worsley said: The present arrangements where the tenant can claim the Single Payment and the landowner the Agri-Environment Payment means we have a prosperous countryside which is also rich in biodiversity

England must not follow the Welsh approach to agri-environment schemes.

The recent decision by the Welsh Assembly Government to prohibit the landowner and the tenant from claiming for the same piece of land will jeopardise both the rural economy and the natural environment.

Mr Worsley added: Many tenant farmers simply wont have the same desire or capability to protect the long-term biodiversity as the landowner.

On the other hand, if the landowner wants to carry out proactive environmental management this may discourage them from letting the land.