‘Post Truth Politics’ and the rise of the Right in the European Countryside

The events of recent months, especially in the light of yesterday’s result across the pond, are a sure sign that we a living in an epoch of ‘post truth politics’. Emotion and the power of story telling seems to run the roost above the plight of policy makers, who are desperately trying to push theirContinueContinue reading “‘Post Truth Politics’ and the rise of the Right in the European Countryside”

Conservation 21: the ‘new’ conservation strategy for the 21st century

Last month, Natural England published their new strategy (available here). In essence, many of the things included within it have been said before, either by them or by the environmental NGOs. However, it comes as a breath of fresh air to see everything in a single NE document, and one that gives us a clueContinueContinue reading “Conservation 21: the ‘new’ conservation strategy for the 21st century”

Scottish Farmers, Brexit and Subsidies

Scotland’s population is about 5.4 million people, or 8% of the UK total. However, Scottish farmers receive 18% of the UK’s overall common agricultural policy funding, including 85% of the less favoured area payments. They face the prospect of immense uncertainty and a huge shake up of the industry over the coming years. At the topContinueContinue reading “Scottish Farmers, Brexit and Subsidies”

Brexit and the OECD challenge to subsidies

Every year the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) releases an ‘Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Report’ which looks at and assesses the various agricultural policies of the 35 OECD nations around the world, as well as 15 ‘selected partner economies’. The 2016 version was released back in June, but BBC Farming Today broughtContinueContinue reading “Brexit and the OECD challenge to subsidies”

Conserving the Quantocks after Brexit

The mist enveloped the trees as I set out on a walk through Great Wood in the Quantocks. The autumnal environment of multi-coloured trees set the scene but this was augmented by conifers, established as part of this Forestry Commission mixed woodland. The trees stood tall and proud, pushing their way up through the mistyContinueContinue reading “Conserving the Quantocks after Brexit”