Farmers already involved in commercially-funded agri-environment schemes could end up some of the biggest winners by the time the new CAP Reform proposals are implemented in 2013.

This is according to Conservation Grade’s Tim Nevard, who says that while the scheme’s producers already benefit by attracting a premium while also meeting the requirements for ELS and HLS payments, they could also automatically qualify for the proposed 30 per cent of the CAP support payments dependent on environmental criteria.

“We have heard that farmers will have to grow at least three crops on arable land and leave seven per cent of farmland ecologically fallow,” he explains.

“Conservation Grade already requires strict rotational management and 10 per cent of land to be specifically farmed for maximum ‘wildlife yield’ – and delivers other criteria in the proposals such as buffer strips, beetle banks, skylark plots and grass margins.  Our producers could end up with triple benefits out of these planned reforms.”

Mr Nevard says it is also important to note that the proposals state an aim to ‘support farmers who already manage in this way’, indicating the payments could favour producers who are already actively managing wildlife by 2013.

“This makes the prospects particularly positive as Allied Mills and Jordans are both currently looking for new producers of Conservation Grade milling wheat and oats.  So while these are just proposals and the devil will be in the detail, we now know the Commission’s priorities and can start planning now,” he adds.