New post-brexit grants for rewilding

[UndercoverElephant]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59886350

Farmers and landowners in England could be paid to turn large areas of land into nature reserves, or to restore floodplains, under new government agriculture subsidies.

When the UK was part of the EU, farmers were given grants based on how much land they farmed.

Following Brexit, the government has pledged to pay based on how farmers care for the environment.

But environmental groups say the new plans lack detail and may not deliver.

In what the government describes as "radical plans", landowners and farmers will be allowed to bid for funding to turn vast areas of land - between 500 and 5,000 hectares - over to wildlife restoration, carbon sequestration, or flood prevention projects.

[PS_RalphW]

Why do I suspect that this will make the UK's richest land owners richer?

[Catweazle]

Why do I suspect that this will make the UK's richest land owners richer?

It's quite handy if you have a few thousand acres, depleted through decades of intensive farming to the stage the soil is no longer fertile enough to support crops without tons of expensive fertilizers.

[clv101]

This is really interesting, culturally and politically. The Tory 'rewilding' agenda is extremely unpopular amongst the farming and rural communities.

[Catweazle]

This is really interesting, culturally and politically. The Tory 'rewilding' agenda is extremely unpopular amongst the farming and rural communities.

There are a few projects on the horizon that tick green boxes but look to be impractical, or at least very difficult. The wholesale swap to electric vehicles and heating for example.

I'm wondering whether there is an agenda from TPTB to milk the tax payer dry before buggering off just before collapse.

[clv101]

The EV and heat pump rollout isn't totally daft.

Realistically, it won't be wholesale but a 30-50% penetration rate by 2030-40 is plausible and will relieve some gas and oil imports. It relies on getting Hinkley C online in a timely fashion (plus another couple a big ones and a fleet of SMR), a lot more off-shore wind and stronger interconnects with rest of Europe - maybe even Iceland!?

[UndercoverElephant]

This is really interesting, culturally and politically. The Tory 'rewilding' agenda is extremely unpopular amongst the farming and rural communities.

Indeed. Mostly in constituencies they "can't lose". Like Shropshire North.

[dustiswhatweare]

In these here parts the re-wilding thing may not be the thing that larger farms consider much, but I am part of a gaggle of smaller landowners who are looking at ways of joining our properties. We are not eligible for grants and what have you but we shall do what we can.
There are many 'slipper' farmers locally, I'm certain they'll be awaiting some certainty that they will see cash dropping into their hands before any commitments are made. Careful lads, you really don't want to get your hands mucky now do you.

[Potemkin Villager]

There are many 'slipper' farmers locally, I'm certain they'll be awaiting some certainty that they will see cash dropping into their hands before any commitments are made. Careful lads, you really don't want to get your hands mucky now do you.

Are these any relation to "gentleman" farmers?