Common Countryside Policy

Rural Policy and Funding post-Brexit

A move away from the Common Agricultural Policy has been called for by Confor in a discussion paper entitled: A Common Countryside Policy.

Launched following the release of their Joint Statement earlier this week (BHT News: October 2017), Confor introduced the report at a Fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference and presented copies to Forestry Minister Therese Coffey and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove.

The document says a common countryside policy must be:

1. FAIR - all land uses must be treated equally, judged on their contribution to sustainable rural development.
2. SUSTAINABLE - the new policy must deliver a combination of social, economic and environmental benefits to enrich and enhance the countryside.
3. FOCUSED - future funding will be tight and must be directed towards profitable, productive land uses which also deliver social and environmental benefits.
4. INTEGRATED - the new policy must allow integrated land use and remove the historic bias to agriculture.

Mr Goodall concluded: "As the UK leaves the EU, we can map the future to a better countryside - one that is greener and more productive."

Confor is the UK's leading membership organisation for sustainable forestry and wood-using businesses. Promoting forestry and wood, the organisation represents over 1600 businesses.