James Paice MP joins FWAG 40th anniversary campaign

The Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, James Paice MP, has joined the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) 40^th anniversary campaign "Do one thing for wildlife!" by pledging to erect a bat box at his home in Cambridgeshire.

After making his pledge James Paice congratulated FWAG on reaching its 40^th anniversary and said "The country is going to require farmers to produce increased amounts of food in the future, but this should present no conflict with caring for the environment.   The best way to persuade farmers to take action to conserve wildlife is to build up a rapport with them.  FWAG Farm Conservation Advisers have the respect of the farming community and this is the key to their success.    The prospects look good for FWAG for the next forty years and I wish them every success for the future".

James Paice made his pledge during a Royal Show champagne reception organised to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of FWAG.    Over 80 guests heard Chairman Henry Lucas explain how FWAG had developed its approach to farmland conservation over the years.  "Our original principles of encouraging and enthusing farmers to integrate single issues into a whole farm context remain valid today.  We're now taking this principle to a wider landscape scale, where FWAG uses its expertise and farmer contacts to deliver joined-up advice to simultaneously tackle multiple issues. 

"In essence FWAG remains at the heart people who understand farming and conservation giving farmers completely independent advice on how best to combine sensible conservation with efficient food production, to the benefit of both the countryside and the individual farming business".

Anyone wishing to join in the FWAG 40^th anniversary campaign "Do one thing for wildlife!" can make a pledge via the FWAG website on http://www.fwag.org.uk/