SOUTH DOWNS SCRUBLAND FEARS

That was the stark message coming out of a South Downs Society conference on the future of farming on the South Downs.

'These dramatic and potentially damaging changes are due to the reform of the European common agricultural policy and globalisation of food manufacture and supply,' society spokesman Hugh Passmore said.

'Both are putting tremendous pressure on local farmers and the South Downs Society wants to do something to help.'

The conference brought together farmers and specialists to look at the ways in which farming could prosper in the future and how this could best be managed to enhance the quality of the South Downs, currently being considered for National Park status.

The positive message coming out of the conference was that successful South Downs farmers of the future will be a new breed of entrepreneurs, farming for the benefit of the environment, tuned in to the needs of local markets for quality and choice, and in touch with their customers.

'These are all traditional agricultural and countryside skills that are gradually being lost and they need to be rediscovered and encouraged if farming is to prosper again,' added Mr Passmore.