RSPB and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) have joined forces to campaign for changes in the way farming subsidies are distributed under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Representatives of the two organisations will argue for an environmental focus to the CAP when they travel to Brussels to lobby for changes. Both argue the focus should move from food to biodiversity and sustainability.

They say that the process of rewarding farmers for their stewardship of the countryside, rather than what they produce,  needs to be “accelerated and widened”. They argue this will deliver a farm system that is more viable and sustainable, providing both food and environmental benefits.

Head of agriculture policy at RSPB, Gareth Morgan, said that without the campaign farmers could miss out on vital funds. The European budget for the CAP is already facing huge pressures.

The joint statement was hailed by the BBC’s rural affairs correspondent, Jeremy Cooke, as a groundbreaking move.

By Dan Sumner

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