EU SUSPENDS SET-ASIDE

10.47.01pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 26th Sep 2007

The European Union's set-aside scheme, whereby 10% of farmers' land has been subsidised to be left unused to avoid surplus production, has been suspended for 2008.

Today's vote by MEPs endorses the European Commission's statement yesterday and means that farmers across the West Midlands will be able to bring land back into use and give a much needed boost to grain production.

LibDem Euro MP for the West Midlands Liz Lynne, joint agriculture spokesperson for the European Liberal Democrats, is in favour of the decision, but also feels that the time is right to completely scrap the set-aside scheme, which has existed since 1992, so long as more money is put into environmental stewardship schemes.

Speaking today from Strasbourg, Liz said:

"I think today's decision marks a victory for common sense and I hope a step in the right direction. Unusual weather across Europe and elsewhere, as well as alternative land use such as growing crops for bio-fuels, has reduced yields and this needs to be addressed. I think set-aside has now served its purpose and we should scrap it altogether."

"Many people think there is something absurd about the notion of paying farmers not to produce on 10% of their land while continuing to farm the remaining 90% as intensively as before. Currently, high grain prices are threatening to push up meat and bread prices for consumers. Bringing set-aside land back into production should help to offset these increases and also help to cut bureaucracy."

Speaking about the unexpected benefits of set-aside which may be lost if set-aside is suspended, Liz added:

"I can understand concern that there have been environmental gains from set-aside areas, strips alongside hedges for example, but there are much better ways to encourage farms to be more green and sustainable, as well as commercially viable."

"We should instead boost green practice through the Environmental Stewardship Scheme. Many farmers in the region say they would like to be greener but the Environmental Stewardship Scheme is under-funded. The newer, second tier of the scheme, Higher Level Stewardship, for more far-reaching environmental projects and practice, is so overstretched that it is hardly worth their while to put in a claim because the budget has been cut. The government and the European Commission could address this."

"I hope all lobby groups who want to see sustainable, green and viable family farms join together to urge Gordon Brown to beef up the Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Scheme. The government should also in turn urge the Commission get rid of the anachronism of set-aside for good."