Thread by @RSPBEngland

🚨 Yet another Gov #AttackOnNature? The third in as many days? @DefraGovUK please say it’s not true that the Government is going to break another promise and scrap the new scheme that supports nature friendly farming? 1/14

What’s happening? We are hearing that the Government is about to scrap the Environment Land Management Scheme (aka ELMS). 2/14

theguardian.com/environment/20…

Under this new scheme farmers are paid taxpayers' money in order to help protect nature. Without this many farmers would struggle to help wildlife and balance the books. 3/14

gov.uk/government/pub…

They’ve been receiving this support in a smaller way through similar schemes since the mid-90s, and it’s helped many threatened species recover, such as cirl buntings. Public money for public goods. 4/14

This principle was clearly understood as a cornerstone of the post-Brexit approach to agriculture policy – read this from former Tory Environment Secretary Michael Gove 5/14

gov.uk/government/spe…

Instead, there are now rumours that the Government will pay farmers simply based on how many acres they own. Which means most of the taxpayer cash just goes to big farms without strings rather than helping nature. #PublicMoneyforOldRope. 6/14

If this is true, it tears up the 2019 Tory manifesto commitment (p42) that “in return for funding [farmers] must farm in a way that protects and enhances our natural environment”. 7/14

conservatives.com/our-plan/conse…

👋 @DefraGovUK were clear last night about farmers producing high quality food. And about investment. And protecting the environment. But the investment is needed to target public money at well-designed schemes. 8/14

https://twitter.com/DefraGovUK/status/1573811520613523462

ELMS is on the way to being such a scheme and we know that many in @DefraGovUK have worked hard to make this work. Why on earth would the Government scrap it? 9/14

Restoring nature and tackling climate change is critical to maintain food production. The government's own report found that the loss of nature, and climate change, present the biggest risks to our food security. 10/14

gov.uk/government/sta…

Bottom line: Our farmers are some of nature’s greatest champions. But they aren’t rewarded at the till for the work they do for nature. We will never recover threatened species without them and the right schemes. 11/14

In the past three days we have seen the threat of tearing up the laws that protect nature, and of trashing planning rules in new “investments zones” 12/14

And now this. If it is true, another huge attack on nature. And a crushing blow to all our farmers who know it's essential to produce both food AND wildlife. 13/14

Why not ask @DefraGovUK yourself what’s happening? And your MP? 14/14