Ministers may go ahead with nature-friendly scheme, farmers believe

Speculation had been rife that government would block Elms subsidies for creating wildlife habitats

Farmers in England say they are increasingly optimistic that the government may yet row back on its plans to cut funding for nature-friendly farming initiatives.

The farming minister, Mark Spencer, this week met the RSPB and the chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), both organisations that had been critical of plans to remove subsidies for creating wildlife habitats.