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CIFAS: Good farming leads to a better environment

News Published 30 Apr 2008 Last modified 21 Jun 2016

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Developing farm advisory services to help farmers protect the environment is a key purpose of the CIFAS project, the results of which will be discussed at a seminar in the European Parliament today. 'Farmers now play an important role in managing environmental resources. They have an increasing number of environmental standards to meet and it’s important to explain clearly what their obligations are and how they might meet them,' said Jeff Huntington, Head of the Environmental Assessment programme at the EEA.

It’s important to explain clearly to farmers what their obligations are and how they might meet them.

Jeff Huntington, head of the Environmental Assessment programme at the EEA

Strict guidelines now apply to the management of water resources and the use of nutrients in agriculture. Farmers must also protect wildlife and maintain hedgerows correctly. The list goes on, but many farmers lack practical information on how to meet these standards.

The CIFAS (Cross-compliance Indicators in the context of the Farm Advisory System) project was set up to support EU Member States develop farm advisory services on the environment. In 2005 and 2006, the project compiled information on cross-compliance standards and relevant farm advisory measures in the EU. The results were used to develop a report, which makes recommendations on advisory services.

Exchange of information between Member States, farmers' organisations and advisory bodies was a key objective of the CIFAS project. For this purpose, a project website was set up in 2005. The site provides a range of information including: outputs from stakeholder meetings, reports on cross-compliance standards and good practice in environmental farm advice as well as links to other important sites.

Visit the CIFAS website (hosted by the EEA)