Changes planned for the EU’s Farm policy which aimed to help wildlife across Europe appear to have been largely ignored, according to a report in a leading journal. The cost of the policy to every household in Europe is £400, and the proposed reforms and changes aimed to ensure that the money would help wildlife and the environment.

It would appear that although changes have been made, that almost 90% of farms would be exempted from the key “greener” elements it proposed, which Europe’s Farm Union said were unrealistic and could make the environment worse unless individual member states took action to protect wildlife. In fact some members have already moved in the opposite direction and transferred more funds away from wildlife issues.

The original plan was to reward farmers for three main activities; keeping grassland, creating ‘environmental focus areas’, and growing at least three different crops on farms bigger than thirty hectares.

Even though areas of this were made compulsory, the negotiations that have taken place to have everything approved make them so diluted to be considered ineffectual. The new plan as it now stands could actually result in an overall loss of grassland across Europe, even though it is considered the most endangered habitat.

However, this is an area that will be looked at again when the next CAP comes up for renewal in 2020. In the meantime individual member states can incorporate their own plans and at least here in the UK 12% of the proposed farm subsidy will go towards the environment, although this is still less than the 15% original proposed.

So here we will be protecting the environment and encouraging wildlife that we can all enjoy, so plenty of opportunities will exist to get your walking footwear on and enjoy what the countryside can offer