Background
Set-aside was first introduced into the Common Agricultural Policy, on a voluntary basis, in 1988 as a supply control mechanism in response to over production of cereals. Set-aside became obligatory following the 1992 MacSharry CAP reform and the policy has undergone numerous revisions since then. Although introduced to curb production, it soon became apparent that, by effectively re-introducing fallow land into continuous arable rotations, set-aside had the potential to deliver a range of biodiversity, resource protection and other environmental benefits. In the summer of 2007, in response to high cereal prices and low world stocks, the European Commission announced that the set-aside rate for the 2007/08 cropping year would be 0%. Permanent abolition of set-aside is one of the options being considered in the 'healthcheck' of the Common Agricultural Policy
In his statement of 26 September on the setting of a zero rate of set aside for the coming growing season, the Secretary of State announced a programme of environmental monitoring of farmland by the Agricultural Change and Environment Observatory (the Observatory) to enable the assessment of what was happening on the ground in the following months and to provide a firmer basis for future action. If there is evidence of significant environmental impact - including on the bird population - as a result of the zero per cent rate of set-aside in 2008, then the Government will look at what action to take.
Stakeholders’ Technical Group
The first meeting of the Stakeholders Technical Group to help monitor and evaluate the impacts of zero set-aside rate in England was held on 15 November 2007. The aim of the group is to consider the evidence base on set-aside and the environment and how it was interpreted, and to discuss monitoring work to be undertaken under the auspices of the Agricultural Change and Environment Observatory. The Group’s findings would feed into Sir Don Curry’s High Level Group established to oversee the monitoring programme of work.
Details of Sir Don Curry’s High Level Set-aside Group and a copy of the interim and final report can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/deliverygroup/index.htm
The following links give details of research that has been published or commissioned both by the Observatory Programme and other bodies.
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