Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Written Evidence

Memorandum submitted by Jim Meadows (O61)

  1.  I am Jim Meadows, a sugar beet grower farming near Stratford upon Avon.

  2.  Any great reduction in revenue will mean the cessation of the crop in this part of South Warwickshire.

  3.  This will have an impact on wildlife on my farm. On recent RSPB survey good numbers of Red listed birds ie:

corn buntings;

buntings;

reed buntings;

yellow wagtails;

grey partridge;

yellowhammers;

song thrush, l;

linnets, and

skylarks plus many other species.

  This was put down to spring cropping (barley) and over winter stubbles, stubble turnips and grazed sugar beet tops, by Steve Holliday an RSPB employee not just a volunteer.

  4.  No spring cropping will mean more winter cropping and with the lowering of set-aside area due to CAP reform will see less food and nesting sites for these birds.

  5.  I have Countryside Stewardship on this farm starting last year but will not increase this if we stop growing beet.

1 April 2004

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Prepared 12 July 2004