The RSPB agriculture policy team spend much of their time in meetings in Defra offices, sat at desks, or on trains to Brussels. So we gave them the opportunity to get out on farm and talk to farmers with a visit to Whitehall Farm in Peterborough.
The team works on a number of farming and environment issues, including agri-environment, ways to support more sustainable agriculture, reform of the CAP and livestock issues. RSPB often hear through their advisors and through letters from farmers how much many of them support or rely on agri-environment schemes, and it is wonderful to get the opportunity to see policy being put into practice, and farmers embracing the concept of agri-environment and delivering public benefits alongside their farming operation.
RSPB though that Whitehall farm is a fascinating site. A commercial organic operation, it is unique in the region in its use of agro-forestry. RSPB commented that rows of young apple trees bordered on both sides with pollen and nectar strips, with a 24m 'field' left between rows for the rotational crops were quite a sight to see. The concept is that the fruit trees will provide an additional valuable crop each year, from the same area of land used for cropping. The crop and the trees require resources at different times of the year, as they have different growing cycles (and different harvest times). Could this approach become a more common farmland view in future? RSPB are looking forward to hearing how the system performs at Whitehall farm.
They also had interest in the farm's HLS agreement, granted largely for the farm's farmland bird interest. The farm provides not only the pollen and nectar strips to provide insects in spring time, but also wild bird seed mixtures to provide farmland birds with over winter food. The farm boasts a wide variety of farmland birds which are declining in the wider countryside.
We think th team had a great day, which resulted in a lot of food for thought for the team as they returned once more to their desks. We welconme them back anytime.
