The Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) is to be relaunched as Championing the Farmed Environment to mark the development of the partnership since its inception a decade ago.
Under the new title, CFE will continue to support farmers to deliver environmental benefits as part of a productive farming business. To celebrate the relaunch, the NFU and Country Land and Business Association (CLA) are hosting a showcase event in London on 26 February bringing together representatives of CFE stakeholder organisations.
The campaign will also be supporting events around the country, delivered by the CFE’s established network of regional coordinators, to talk to farmers and industry partners about the future direction of the project and encourage others to get involved.
A new CFE website is also being launched based around the central campaign themes of soils, water, air and wildlife. It will set out actions which farmers can take to ensure their farms produce environmental benefits within the operation of a sustainable business.
CFE project officer Laura Harpham said: “Alongside producing safe, traceable and affordable food, the focus has increased on the environmental goods which farming delivers for the landscape, wildlife and the public. The name change is a great opportunity to celebrate the work farmers who are already engaged with CFE are doing, and to get more people involved.
“As founding partners of CFE, the NFU, CLA, AIC, and GWCT have always represented key players within the agricultural community and identified strongly with the central principles of sustainable farming practice delivering for both the environment and farm businesses. CFE is also supported and advised by Defra and organisations with specialisms in these areas, including LEAF, AHDB, Catchment Sensitive Farming, and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
“The Government’s 25-year Environment Plan calls on the farming community to balance the production of safe, traceable and high-quality British food with the protection and enhancement of the British countryside. This includes protecting the essential public goods it manages for the nation; clean air and water, healthy soils and a flourishing natural environment. With more focus on environmental public goods in everyday farming practices, the work of the CFE is more important and more relevant than ever.”