A SURVEY of farmers across the south west has revealed that 96 per cent think environmental work on their farms would be impacted if payments for wildlife-friendly farming, known as agri-environment schemes, were stopped or reduced.

Amidst fears of budgetary cuts, farmers confirmed that the environmental management they undertake would go down if funding for agri-environment schemes was reduced. This year sees the 25th anniversary of agri-environment in England, and many such schemes have delivered fantastic results for wildlife, but rather than protect and boost this vital source of funding, signals from Europe’s politicians, including our own, point to an uncertain future.

The questionnaire, to understand how farmers value agri-environment support, was carried out by the RSPB. Results showed that 51 per cent of farmers asked believe the environmental work would be impacted ‘severely’, and seven per cent think it would ‘stop’ altogether. Only four per cent said environmental work on their farms would be unaffected by cuts to agrienvironment schemes.

A reduction of this amount could spell disaster for wildlife in England, and the rest of Europe. As well as being important for widespread but declining species such as the skylark and yellowhammer, agrienvironment schemes are essential for less well-known species, including cirl bunting and stone-curlew.

It is possible that without this funding, these species could disappear.

As well as helping to safeguard some of our most iconic wildlife and habitats, these payments also help maintain the financial viability of some farm businesses.

A total of 71 per cent of farmers said that agri-environment scheme payments were “very’ or ‘fairly” important to the viability of their business, and eight per cent said they are ‘completely vital’, demonstrating the close fit between profitable farm businesses and environmental stewardship.

The RSPB asked farmers their thoughts on agri-environment schemes ahead of the European Heads of State meeting in Brussels next week [22-23 November] where the future of the EU's budget, including the amount of money spent on agriculture, will be discussed.

Martin Harper, the RSPB’s director of conservation, said: “Our big worry right now is that the cuts to European and domestic budgets could mean the largest single budget for wildlife conservation in the UK will soon be much diminished.

“We wanted to know what that might mean for wildlife friendly farmers and I think the results of this survey are loud and clear – it would be a disaster.”

Since the first agri-environment schemes were introduced in 1987, tens of thousands of farmers and landowners have helped wildlife.