'Farmer of the Year' urges industry to seek consumer support

Farming needs to generate more direct support from consumers for nature-friendly food production rather than relying on EU initiatives that may face cutbacks in the future. This is the warning from the BBC’s Farmer of the Year Jon Birchall, who says that through schemes such as Conservation Grade, the mechanism already exists to pass a premium back down the food chain to farmers who grow proven wildlife habitats alongside their crops.

Mr Birchall, a farm manager at Offleyhoo Farm, Hitchin in Hertforshire, has studied the contribution of agri-environment schemes to farm profits. He says that improving consumer awareness of these protocols and promoting better uptake among farmers and their customers would relieve some of the stress that EU-funded schemes could suffer if a new CAP budget with reduced environmental payments is implemented in 2013.

"We keep hearing rumours that Pillar 2 funding may be cut, or that member countries could be permitted to cut out agri-environment scheme support altogether," he says. "Even if the funding remains in place, it makes sense to shift as much production as possible to self-funded schemes where the consumer can opt to support methods of farming they believe in.

"For example, I am receiving a £7 premium on my Gallant milling wheat this year as it’s going to Allied Mills for marketing under the ’Nature Friendly Farming’ label. Consumers buying the end product will have to pay a bit more, but they’ll have the security of knowing I will have put 10 per cent of my land into specific habitats for birds and insects."

Mr Birchall adds that losing some cropping land doesn’t have to impact heavily on production either. "This can be seen with Conservation Grade, which uses the least productive areas to grow these habitats – such as corners of fields – yet farms the remaining areas very efficiently. This means I’m losing hardly any of my total possible yield and contributing lots to wildlife – a modern way of meeting both biodiversity and production challenges.

"With around a quarter of barley, a third of wheat and half of oats grown in this country entering the human food chain directly and the bulk of the rest used in the livestock industry, there’s significant potential to add value by promoting marques such as ’Nature Friendly Farming’, which lets consumers vote to support biodiversity with their wallets."