On Friday 31st January, the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union was terminated. This event heralds the end of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the EU subsidy scheme which is considered by many to be at least partly responsible for driving environmentally damaging farming practices, contributing to ecological collapse, catastrophic soil loss, water pollution and more. The Department for Environment Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) intend to replace with an Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) which rewards farmers for the public goods their practices and land provides. DEFRA are co-designing this scheme, and supporting a number of Tests and Trials across the country to guide policy design.

Exactly 1 week after our departure from the EU, the GLNP held an event at the Royal Agricultural University to showcase the three Tests and Trials being conducted in Gloucestershire. over 60 farmers and LNP members attended this lively and informative event, and the presentations delivered by DEFRA, Farmers Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) and the Cotswold Conservation Board (CCB). These are attached below (one slide fits all) for your interest.

The LNP will keep you updated with the progress of ELMs. A national pilot is set to be launched at the end of 2021, with CAP Basic Payments being tapered off from 2024. More information is contained within the DEFRA presentation.