Farming / environment

[dave moore]

Although I can defend farming in that more land is required to feed the UKs rising population there are one or two ways they could at little cost to them,firstly why do they cut hedgerows every year not only bird life depend on all the fruits and berries to survive throughout the winter months also providing nest sites but many small mammals have the same needs .Cutting them every two years would certainly help,really I don't see why the cut them at all.Ask any farmer why they cut them ,they will reply it tidies them up this reply I have Han many times .If they let a strip of of land say about two or three metre wide in each crop and planted species of plant tha attracts insects as in my opinion this is the reason why many species have been decimated ie,birds and small mammals including Hedgehogs .One farmer has already somewhere in the UK actually done this and the results in attracting wildlife has been unbelievable .Id love to see this happen with the farming community but. Something tells me it won't.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Although I can defend farming in that more land is required to feed the UKs rising population there are one or two ways they could at little cost to them,firstly why do they cut hedgerows every year not only bird life depend on all the fruits and berries to survive throughout the winter months also providing nest sites but many small mammals have the same needs .Cutting them every two years would certainly help,really I don't see why the cut them at all.Ask any farmer why they cut them ,they will reply it tidies them up this reply I have Han many times .If they let a strip of of land say about two or three metre wide in each crop and planted species of plant tha attracts insects as in my opinion this is the reason why many species have been decimated ie,birds and small mammals including Hedgehogs .One farmer has already somewhere in the UK actually done this and the results in attracting wildlife has been unbelievable .Id love to see this happen with the farming community but. Something tells me it won't.

Have just spent the day on a friends farm.

Do you live in the city/town or countryside where ever you live influences your views.

I think farmers know best how to manage their farms, with crop rotation, lay fallow, etc, as far as hedges are concerned they are not allowed to cut between May and October, those farms with hedges bordering public roads have to cut them every year, although that doesn't always happen when there are verges. In Devon most of our road structure is narrow roads and single track roads, these have to be cut back every year. The height of the hedge depends upon locality, the prevailing wind direction, the lower the hedge the more chance of wind borne soil erosion, the wind factor also influences the depth of hedge to be left. Farmers are well aware of the best factors in their areas to sustain and encourage the wild life which is beneficial to their particular land. They are also business people and require their acreage to be productive to sustain their farms.

[dave moore]

I believe at he present time farmers are paid a subsidy where areas of their land are set aside ,could not a similar scheme be applied in just for providing a tiny percentage of their land to give a great help to wildlife.One very small strip multiplied by thousands farms would amount to acres upon acres for wildlife.One of the problems of present schemes is that when first seeded with flora to encourage wildlife is allowed to be overgrown with couch grass and not re-seeded,I have personal experience of this .

[dave moore]

They are not allowed to cut hedges from 1st of March to 1st of September

[Ivan Cloherty]

They are not allowed to cut hedges from 1st of March to 1st of September

I have no intention of getting into a tit-for-tat Dave, but different Councils have different rules depending on local climatic conditions, I have had first hand experience of our local rules and living in a conservation area. We have farmers who do leave areas for wild life and also meadow plants. In fact our local Council has a programme of sowing meadow plants on all wide verges along the A38/A383 and other main routes where the planting does not interfere with vision and road signs. That's all from me on the subject as I can envision this going round in circles

[dave moore]

The dates are countrywide ,for your information most species of birds begin breeding in hedgerows from early in the year ,Robins Thrushes and Blackbirds are early breeders ,soif you know of any councils that begin in May they are breaking the law .I rest my case.

[dave moore]

Councils here in the north east also have seeded roadsides with wild flower species, problem is roadsides are one of the most polluted areas in the country ,the environment is continually under attack from emissions from traffic.i am an avid collector of wild fruits and areas by roadsides I wouldn't touch where bramble bushes grow as they are coated in emissions from traffic and have areas that bushes have died off.it is my opinion that the planting there of flora is appearing to be doing the right thing on behalf of the them.i know ot areas that look fabulous during flowering then the bloody council have cut them down,what a waste of time and money .The flowers benefit insects and butterflies but the most important part are the seeds the sustain wildlife during the winter months.My first post was I think mis- understood I was not meaning that the farmers paid for it themselves but the government subsidised itWhere I live right out in the sticks all the lanes are narrow and have never experienced any danger in driving along them with reference to uncut hedges,the only danger is of drivers speeding along them having no respect to others.,the same ones who through the litter out of their car windows.if we don't do something trying to help our wildlife it I'll disappear in time and I honestly believe what I have stated doesn't happen our grandchildren will experience an environment with very little wildlife and I am not a Swampy who superglued himself to cars etc I just love the countryside and dont want to see it damaged beyond repair.

[happy daze john in oz]

Farmers here in Oz have two matters to deal with, drought, which currently is extremely bad in some regions.
The ridiculous price they receive for their milk.
They sell to the big conglomorates who then package and market it to supermarkets.
Supermarkets sell at $1 a litre as a loss leader.
Customers say the supermarkets should pay the farmers more many not understanding how the system works.

As to hedge rows, very few here, but in Ireland there are plenty and like UK must not be cut between March and October.

Fine but the problem is many are never cut, try driving along some country roads there and see what I mean.
Hedge rows over three meters tall on roads that in many cases are little better than cow tracks.
Surfaced by so windy it is hard to see the next corner.
But when driving on them you need to do at least 80kph as the local behind you is traying to do 90kph.
Great fun, I think not!!!!!

[Tony Taylor]

Farmers here in Oz have two matters to deal with, drought, which currently is extremely bad in some regions.
The ridiculous price they receive for their milk.
They sell to the big conglomorates who then package and market it to supermarkets.
Supermarkets sell at $1 a litre as a loss leader.
Customers say the supermarkets should pay the farmers more many not understanding how the system works.

As to hedge rows, very few here, but in Ireland there are plenty and like UK must not be cut between March and October.

Fine but the problem is many are never cut, try driving along some country roads there and see what I mean.
Hedge rows over three meters tall on roads that in many cases are little better than cow tracks.
Surfaced by so windy it is hard to see the next corner.
But when driving on them you need to do at least 80kph as the local behind you is traying to do 90kph.
Great fun, I think not!!!!!

some supermarkets here offer milk a few pennies dearer which goes direct to the farmers, which may go a little way to helping them.

[Red Lead Ted]

Even with Government subsidies a farmers life I would not live, Don't get me wrong its not very often you meet a poor farmer, But hill farmers are the ones I feel for bloody hard work for sometimes very little reward, And as for the sale of milk todays big Supermarkets can name there own price, It should be the farmers that have a set price on all there produce and the consumer in this country should definitely buy British dairy products only. They need all the backing they can muster Terry.