Tory pledge of farmland protection and a review of the bureaucracy

A CONSERVATIVE Government would protect high quality farmland from development, move to cut red tape and commit to a change in leadership of the troubled Rural Payments Agency.

The Tory Shadow Environment Secretary Nick Herbert told National Farmers’ Union conference yesterday that he and his party wanted to bring in “practical, deliverable policies” and vowed to take on the European Union to ensure that any new legislation will not damage UK interests.

In an eye-catching move, Mr Herbert told delegates that he would commission an industry-led review of the bureaucracy and red tape which effects farmers within three months of being elected.

He also promised to prevent any development upon grade 1 and 2 agricultural land except in exceptional circumstances.

The regulation would cover more than a fifth of English farmland.

And Mr Herbert said he would enforce a shake-up of the Rural Payments Agency in which the farming Minister would be made its chairman, taking direct responsibility for management of the system.

Mr Herbert said: “Labour has persistently under-valued British agriculture, failing to understand that we all depend on the production of food, while the countryside relies on farmers’ stewardship of the environment.

“Despite its importance to our food security, the protection of our best farmland has been downgraded and the Government has over-ridden councils who have sought to keep in place local protection of this valuable asset.”