The battle over the face of the countryside is entering its final phase in England and Wales. The Environment Secretary Owen Paterson will announce in the next few weeks how he will divide subsidies to farmland. The decision will impact the look of the landscape, the strength of rural economies, the health of wildlife and the profitability of farmers. Mr Paterson is under pressure from all sides and his final decision will almost inevitably prove controversial. The average household in Europe pays about £400 a year to subsidise farmers. In the summer, the EU set the framework for how the money should be spent with its scheme to "green" the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The...
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