An Important Press Release from Our Friends at The Country Trust: 

Leaving the European Union and the Common Agricultural Policy provides an opportunity for agricultural reform. The government has launched a consultation for the future of food, farming and the environment and wants to know your thoughts on the future of agricultural policy in England. The Country Trust is particularly keen to see that education remains as a public value of farming, one that farmers should be rewarded for. We want as many children as possible to have hands on experiences of food, farming and the countryside and we are absolutely reliant on the goodwill of farmer hosts to make that happen. Currently some farmers are eligible for a small payment when they give up their time to host a school visit, under an educational access agreement, part of Higher Level Stewardship.  We recognise that this small payment is vital income for many farmers and the only way they can manage to give up several days a year to education. We think it’s a relatively inexpensive, but effective way to ensure the future of school visits to farms. 

Question 5 of the consultation allows you to prioritise three public values for which farmers should be rewarded, public access is one option. Please take part in the consultation online and, if you agree, help us to ensure that the importance of education is recognised. The consultation closes on May 8th 2018.