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Read the latest about our views on CAP reform on Martin's blog here

The last few months have seen a flurry of activity on CAP reform and the next few months should see the deal sealed. But what has actually happened and what are the prospects for a ‘greener’ policy? March was a particularly busy month. Almost 18 months after the European Commission released...

Check out Martin Harper's blog today to read our thoughts on the NFU's Fair Deal for Farmers.

Then check our Martin Harper's blog today . And if you haven't called for David Cameron to vote for nature yet - do it now here . There's still time to make a difference.

It's a million dollar question, or rather a trillion euro question, because the deal that might get done at next week's EU Budget summit (7-8 Feb) will have huge implications for how much funding is available for nature conservation and wildlife friendly farming schemes from 2014 onwards. ...

On Friday we held our annual RSPB breakfast at the Oxford Farming Conference . It is a great chance to talk to people from across the agricultural industry, and celebrate the efforts of wildlife-friendly farmers all across the UK. Our Chief Executive, Mike Clarke, was joined by Bill Jordan, cofounder...

What do you get if you mix an enthusiastic and dedicated bunch of farmers, volunteers and RSPB staff and stick them in front of an international audience from across the agriculture sector for a day? Lots of interesting discussions, real insight to the value of our farmland conservation work and plenty...

Rob Kynaston, Nature of Farming Award finalist 2011, and committed wildlife-friendly farmer The collapse of the EU budget talks in Brussels last week was no real surprise – and hopefully (as some commenting on Martin Harper’s blog on Friday said), it will allow more time to develop a better...

Earlier this year Farmers Guardian reported the results of a survey showing that almost 9 out of 10 farmers agree that environmental management and wildlife conservation are important parts of their farm management. You won’t be surprised that it’s something we whole-heartedly agree with...

Read Martin Harper's blog today to find out the latest news on the proposed EU budget for 2014-2020. Now more than ever before, wildlife-friendly farmers need your support. You can do this by emailing David Cameron before he meets with EU leaders next week. Please share this link with your friends...

By Jenna Hegarty, Senior Agriculture Policy Officer Later this month (22-23 November), EU leaders, including Prime Minister David Cameron, will convene in Brussels to discuss, and potentially decide, the EU Budget for the 2014-2020 period. Big money is at stake – a whopping €7 trillion...

Did you see the Daily Telegraph this morning? They reported some stark figures from the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI; a charity that provides support for farmers in need throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland). RABI have shown that many farmers are facing severe poverty...

Fancy filling your belly for free? If like me you are a frugal type and not easily embarrassed, this is the time of year to scour Fen roadsides. Lorries piled to the brim with spuds, onions and carrots are trundling back and forth as fast as they can go from the field to the packing plant. You can...

Guest blog by John Martin, Conservation Manager - Policy and Advocacy, Northern Ireland Headquarters RSPB Northern Ireland recently hosted a ‘Farmer Breakfast’ for over 75 guests in Parliament buildings on the Stormont Estate. This was an opportunity to celebrate the great work of our...

Really, this will only take a minute, it’s free and will help us to help wildlife-friendly farmers . And you might win a prize! So what’s not to like? With CAP reform looming and potential changes to the support these schemes get from the CAP budget, we’d really like to know what...

What do Londoners know about farming? In many cases the answer will be 'not a lot'. But collectively city dwellers hold a great deal of power over our farmed environment, simply because so much of our population lives in urban areas. They can influence our countryside both through their...

“ Is modern farming harming the countryside? ” That was the topic up for debate at last week’s Cereals event. Our Conservation Director, Martin Harper, took to the stage alongside Peter Kendall ( NFU President); Graeme Matravers (Chair, Soil Association Farmer and Grower Board) and...

By Vicki Swales, Head of Land Use Policy, RSPB Scotland Does Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment in Scotland, want the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to promote greener farming? Or does he need some gentle persuading? On past performance, we think the...

I've got some great news to share, and Halloween seems the perfect time to share it. Halloween of course marks the zenith of the short pumpkin season, and I know a number of farmers that really grow pumpkins for their community, rather than making much profit. They see their friends and neighbours...

Welcome to my office. I reckon it’s one of the biggest in the UK. Vaguely speaking, the ‘walls’ are the A14 to the south, the Cambridgeshire border to the west, the start of the sandy Brecks to the east, and to the North... Well I haven’t quite decided but it’s somewhere...

Over the summer months, the RSPB has met with many MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) to discuss topics as varied as seabird by-catch from fishing fleets to biodiversity in the UK’s overseas territories. For two MEPs in July, the focus of our meetings was to demonstrate how farming and...

Unlike normal people, who spend their Wednesday evenings enjoying a free ticket to the cinema, the Agriculture Policy nerds at the RSPB have spent the last 12 hours or so digesting and interpreting the EU budget proposals for the period 2014-2020, which were announced last night. As many of you will...