AN ambitious environmental campaign hopes to enlist up to 3,000 Yorkshire farmers over the next three years.

The Campaign for the Farmed Environment is a voluntary industry-led scheme with Government backing.

Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), hosted its launch on his arable farm in Bedfordshire.

The campaign aims to extend and enhance the environmental benefits already provided by existing stewardship schemes in 17 target counties – including North, East and South Yorkshire.

Local liaison groups are being established in each area to drive the campaign forward.

In Yorkshire, they are chaired by Stokesley farmer Robert Campbell, Goole farmer Ian Backhouse and Doncaster farmer Russell Toothill.

A network of beacon farms will also demonstrate how the campaign is working in practice – showing how choosing the right land management practices in the right place can make a major difference to the environment.

Richard Ellison, North-East NFU regional director, said the campaign will build on the significant environmental achievements of farmers over recent years.

He said: “Thousands of farmers and landowners in Yorkshire have already signed up for the Government’s Environmental Stewardship Scheme that encourages a range of farm management options designed to boost biodiversity and protect precious resources such as soil and water.

“We also have a good story to tell about the work being done to manage nearly 12,500 miles of hedgerow for example, and on farmland birds we are proud of our achievements with species such as tree sparrows and skylarks – but, of course, much more can be done.

“This campaign provides the chance to show that productive farming and caring for wildlife and the environment do go hand-in-hand.

“Success will also mean we can avoid the expense and red tape of a more regulatory approach further down the line.”

The campaign is led by the NFU and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), but others involved include the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Natural England, the Environment Agency and the RSPB.

Mr Campbell, the North Yorkshire champion, said it provided an opportunity to work together to achieve lasting benefits.

He said: “It’s vital we recognise the wealth of environmental work that is being done by so many farmers across North Yorkshire and build on those foundations.

“We need the on-going support of those farmers and also need to record all the work being done that does not come under the auspices of a formal agri-environment scheme.

“This will be crucial in helping us assess what more needs to be done and what our priorities should be in our county.

It promises to be a challenging but exciting process.”

Dorothy Fairburn, Yorkshire regional director of the CLA, said: “This campaign will positively engage farmers, growers and their advisors, in taking up management activities that encourage biodiversity.”

Farmers and landowners in Yorkshire and Humber have already signed up to 5,344 agreements in the Environmental Stewardship Scheme.

These consist of 4,800 Entry Level (ELS) agreements, 128 Organic Entry Level (OELS) agreements, 407 Higher Level (HLS) agreements and nine OELS/HLS agreements.

The North-East is not an official target, although an informal approach will be made to farmers in Durham and Northumberland.

Last week, Natural England revealed that more agricultural land was under agrienvironment schemes in the North-East – 84 per cent – than any other area of the country.