Sustainable Agriculture
In Wales, agriculture has a vital economic,
cultural and environmental role to play within our rural
communities.
CCW therefore supports the development of a
sustainable agricultural industry which:
- conserves, enhances and restores wildlife habitats, species,
landscapes and cultural characteristics;
- makes it easier for people to reach and enjoy the countryside
and to understand it better;
- provides quality jobs and a viable return to those farming and
managing the land;
- maintains and supports the social fabric of rural
communities;
- helps with tackling the challenges posed by climate
change.
Advising government
CCW is represented on a wide range of National
Assembly advisory groups including those dealing with
agri-environment policy, sustainable farming and Farming
Connect.
We provide advice to the Welsh Assembly
Government by responding to consultations on all issues relating to
the environmental impact of agriculture, including:
- the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP);
- the design of a Welsh Rural Development Plan (WRDP);
- the management of common land;
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA); and
- the design of farm advisory services.
CCW helped design a number of Welsh
agri-environment schemes, in particular Tir Cymen, Tir Gofal and
Tir Cynnal and also had responsibility for running these schemes
until October 2006.
CCW is also a member of the European
Environmental and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils (EEAC).
This is a network of statutory advisers from 22 European Union
countries. CCW’s aim is to stimulate debate on a wide range of
environmental issues likely to require policy changes at EU
level.
Working together
www.lupg.org.uk
Co-operation
amongst all the agencies involved in agriculture and the
environment is important. CCW is a member of the inter-agency Land
Use Policy Group (LUPG). Its role is:
- to improve understanding of existing agricultural and forestry
policy mechanisms at EU level;
- to develop common views on reform proposals; and
- to promote these views while at the same time taking into
account the varied circumstances that exist within the UK.
The group includes representatives from
Natural England, Environment Agency, Joint Nature Conservation
Committee, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Environment and
Heritage Service of Northern Ireland, as well as CCW.