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Farming Today: 13/05/21 - ELMS trial, a "new deal" for farming and a smart village

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13/05/21 - ELMS trial, a "new deal" for farming and a smart village

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 13/05/21 - ELMS trial, a "new deal" for farming and a smart village

We visit an ELMS trial looking at what 'public goods' are worth.

We visit an ELMS trial where farmers and ecologists are trying to put a value on 'environmentally sustainable actions.'

The biggest change in farming for a generation is underway as we move away from the EU’s subsidy system. Each devolved administration will introduce it's own new system for supporting agriculture - in England it's a "public money for public goods" system, with the new Environmental Land Management Scheme - or ELMS - still being designed. We visit one of the DEFRA trials in Wiltshire where ecologists and farmers are working together to assess the worth of "environmentally sustainable actions". Meanwhile, this week a committee of MPs heard concerns about the timeline for the introduction ELMS, given that basic payments are being phased out from this year. We also hear from the centre left think tank, the IPPR, which says there must be a "fair transition for farming" has published a report calling for a ‘new deal’ for farmers to secure livelihoods and the natural environment.

And what is a smart village? In short, it's an online space where people with a common interest can get together to share experiences, look for job opportunities and offer support to others. A new smart village is now being set up for Rural Young People in Scotland and England - we find out more.

Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

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13/05/21 - ELMS trial, a "new deal" for farming and a smart village

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