HEREFORDSHIRE farmers can update themselves on the outcome of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform talks at a series of meeting organized by the NFU.
The meetings will also help to gather views that will inform NFU policy in the months ahead as attention turns to how Defra will implement the new policy.
NFU Senior CAP Adviser Gail Soutar and other union officials and officeholders will be at the meetings which are being held across the region.
Herefordshire farmers are asked to go to the Hawford YFC Centre, in Worcestershire, at 7.30pm on July 31.
“After 21 months of negotiating, the European decision makers have just about come to a final agreement on the future of the CAP," said Gail Soutar.
“There are some outstanding issues which will have to be hammered out in the autumn, but by and large the future CAP framework has now been set at the European level, albeit with lots of flexibilities for Defra to choose from.
“Within that framework there are some significant changes to the CAP support and new elements that we want our members to be aware of.
“We also want to make sure NFU members have the opportunity to shape those changes before they come into force in England from January 1 2015.”
Members will hear about the new basic payment scheme, a new young farmers’ top up scheme, new environmental rules which will unlock a new “greening aid” and a whole raft of optional schemes that Defra could choose to implement.
For further details please contact the regional office on 01952 400500.