Row over farming subsidies - Telegraph

Row over farming subsidies - Telegraph: "The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee recommended that reform of EU subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) should reintroduce payments for each sheep or cow.
The cross party group of MPs argued that beautiful landscapes like the Yorkshire Dales or Dartmoor, that bring in millions of tourists every year, are in danger because livestock farmers are going out of business.
Without hill farmers there is no one to maintain footpaths, farm buildings or traditional features such as dry stone walls.
The influential committee suggested 'headage’ payments would make it possible for sheep farming to continue by paying farmers to keep sheep despite the fact lamb and wool is no longer valuable enough to make a viable income."

And the same goes for the sheep created downlands of Wiltshire

'Bribes' for areas that accept a wind farm - Telegraph

'Bribes' for areas that accept a wind farm - Telegraph: "'Bribes' for areas that accept a wind farm
Communities will be offered council tax discounts or cheaper electricity as part of plans to increase the number of wind farms in Britain, Charles Hendry, the Energy Minister will announce today."

Lottery scheme brings films to rural communities | Film | The Guardian

Lottery scheme brings films to rural communities | Film | The Guardian: "At Malmesbury town hall, and other small venues in Wiltshire and Hampshire, the White Horse Pictures project is using state-of-the-art digital equipment to draw in audiences with the latest releases."

Solar industry review to ban 'hot money’ - Telegraph

Solar industry review to ban 'hot money’ - Telegraph: "It is understood that Greg Barker, the climate change minister, is planning to bring forward a review of financial incentives for solar panels, after becoming concerned about giant photovoltaic farms springing up across the countryside.
As part of the review, the Government is likely to consider stopping companies from building giant farms for solar panels, which exploit generous subsidies called feed-in tariffs. These subsidies pay above market rates for electricity generated from solar panels and small wind turbines"

Solar farms sucking up green subsidies as well as sun | Environment | The Guardian

Solar farms sucking up green subsidies as well as sun | Environment | The Guardian: "Industrial-scale solar farms are threatening a government green subsidy that pays homeowners, schools and community groups for installing solar panels, the Guardian has learned.

A government announcement is expected this week on the fate of the scheme, with a review of the feed-in-tariff (FIT) policy, originally planned for 2012, brought forward in response to an increasing number of solar farms being granted planning permission"

Dairy farmers lose more than 3p on every litre of milk they produce - Telegraph

Dairy farmers lose more than 3p on every litre of milk they produce - Telegraph: "A new report from the NFU shows that dairy farmers lose an average of more than 3p for every litre of milk that they produce. According to the union's report, about 11bn litres of milk are produced annually on dairy farms across the UK, meaning that farmers are looking at a £330m funding gap."

Bill Bailey introduces FACE