How should agri-environment schemes work for arable farmers and for wildlife?
That’s what researchers in the PARTRIDGE project are looking for 2,000 farmers to tell them in a new survey. The project, funded by NSR Interreg, is asking farmers across six European countries for their opinions and will be presenting the findings to policy makers, including Natural England, NatureScot and other governmental representatives and NGOs from across Northern Europe to give a voice to those who will be most affected.
The survey is quick, anonymous and gives you the chance to share your views about the type of measures you would like to see funded, your impression of the inspection process, lengths of contracts and much more. In England and in Scotland, one lucky participant in each country will win 20 kg of the seed mixtures that PARTRIDGE uses on its flower blocks and everyone who takes part will receive a summary of the findings.
At the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Dr Julie Ewald is leading the survey in England and Fiona Torrance is leading in Scotland. They are encouraging farmers to take part: “For the sake of 20 minutes, you can get your opinion in front of those making the decisions that will shape the future of farming subsidies. We know that for any system to succeed, it needs to work for farmers, and we want to make that happen.”
Each of the partner countries is hoping to collect feedback from 1,000 arable farmers, setting the GWCT the task of engaging that number of farmers in both England and Scotland. You can find the online forms for each country at www.gwct.org.uk/arablesurvey.
