ACTIVELY managed set-aside and Stewardship was a key component in creating a profitable farm business and at the same time allowed landowners to satisfy their conservation and sporting activities, according to Richard Sanders, a farm management specialist with Fisher German, of Dumbleton.

He explained: "If we compare returns from farming conventional arable crops, set-aside and various Countryside Stewardship options, returns are higher from non-cropping than from conventional cropping options. For example, the current annual return from arable contract farming is £85 per acre, whereas under the Countryside Stewardship scheme fallow followed by stubble earns £210 per acre, or planting wildlife seed mixture, £206 per acre."

He pointed out that cultivation techniques aimed at reducing production costs were also beneficial to wildlife and game birds, as they often removed the need for soil inversion.

Martin Tickler, game consultant with the Game Conservancy Trust, said: "Long-term conservation areas benefit wildlife and game by providing diverse plant types critical to their survival. They also create game birds' winter holding cover, nesting cover and summer chick rearing cover."

He said findings proved that minimally cultivated rather than ploughed land supported many more insect numbers.

Further advice is available from Richard Sanders on 01386 881214 or Martin Tickler on 01379 686551.