Extra investment of more than £500 million over three years in sustainable farming has been announced by chancellor Gordon Brown.

Forum Response: Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors

Martin Lowry, spokesman for RICS, told ePolitix.com: "The Curry Report recommended £500 million would be needed to revitalise our rural communities. The chancellor's offer, some of which is to be spent on flooding defences, is not enough to make the radical changes needed to bring about real improvement in Britain's countryside.

"Our recent research into the impact of modulation showed that modulation rates recommended by the Curry Commission, would cripple farming incomes and may have a negative impact on the environment. We hope government will not throw money into poorly thought out reforms."

Forum Response: National Consumer Council

Deirdre Hutton, chair of the NCC, told ePolitix.com: "This level of public expenditure must deliver a sea change in farming and food policy, otherwise it will have been a complete waste of public money.

"There will need to be a strong implementation group - with members drawn from beyond DEFRA and which includes consumer representatives - to ensure that the Curry report is delivered in full.

"Consumers not only want safe, wholesome food at fair prices but they are also concerned about animal welfare and environmental standards.

"The success of UK agriculture will depend on the ability of the industry to respond more effectively to what consumers want."

Forum Response: National Trust

Tony Burton, director of policy and strategy at the National Trust, told ePolitix.com: "The new pilot green schemes for all farmers should end debate on whether changes are needed and move decisively towards showing how change can be delivered.

"Farming needs a more secure future that can only be provided by these new sources of public support, backed by commitments to whole farm planning, training and advice and supported by stronger and more effective local markets and assurance schemes.

"As the nation's largest farmer, The National Trust stands ready to help deliver a new approach to farming which provides a richer environment, healthier food, and a more secure future for those who earn their living from the land."

Forum Response: Countryside Alliance

Richard Burge, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, told ePolitix.com: "We fail to see how the recommendations outlined by Sir Don Curry recently into the future of sustainable farming in Britain can be implemented to any significant extent by the money allocated to it. The chancellor has failed to assign sufficient funds to allow profitable farming businesses to develop or allow farmers to exit the industry.

"This has not put Britain in a strong leverage position for CAP reform and has failed to increase the role of the land as the primary economic driver of the countryside."

Forum Response: Unilever

Richard Greenhalgh, chairman of Unilever-UK, told ePolitix.com: "The extra money awarded to DEFRA is very welcome.

"The key question facing the food and farming industry when Curry reported was: 'would the Treasury deliver?' As a result of the chancellor's statement, the industry will be in good heart. While we have yet to hear the full details of the funding, this money will help put British food and agriculture on the path to a sustainable, competitive future following the twin setbacks of foot and mouth and BSE.

"Secondly, only days after Franz Fischler unveiled his proposed changes to the CAP, this additional funding puts the UK into pole position for implementing the Commissioner's reforms. Britain will be leading the way in Europe on transferring funding from production subsidies to rural and environmental development at a time when EU proposals are heading in the same direction.

"The food industry stands ready to work with government, the farming community and the rest of business to implement the Curry report's recommendations and to turn this opportunity into a reality."

Forum Response: Game Conservancy Trust

Dr Stephen Tapper, director of policy and public affairs for The Game Conservancy Trust, told ePolitix.com: "We are very pleased that the Treasury has backed the increased spending necessary to fund the recommendations of Sir Donald Curry's Commission into the Future of Food and Farming.

Forum Response: Game Conservancy Trust

Dr Stephen Tapper, director of policy and public affairs for The Game Conservancy Trust, told ePolitix.com: "In particular, we are pleased that the proposed broad and shallow agri-environment scheme is now likely to go ahead.

"We notice that Objective I of the Public Service Agreements includes the commitment to reverse the long-term decline in farmland birds. A broad and shallow environment scheme will be essential for this along with substantial CAP reform in line with the EU Commission's proposals put forward last week in the Agenda 2000 mid-term review.

"The Game Conservancy Trust looks forward to helping DEFRA deliver its objectives in relation to farmland birds"

Forum Response: The Countryside Agency

Ewen Cameron, chairman of the Countryside Agency, told ePolitix.com: "In the Countryside Agency's first annual rural proofing report, I said it would be critical to secure rural priorities within the 2002 Spending Review, so rural people benefited fully from developments in education, health care and other vital services. The Spending Review White Paper does that.

"The rural proof of the pudding will be how government departments now deliver the solutions in rural areas. They have been given a clear steer and some additional resources to help secure thriving rural businesses and services that meet rural needs. We will be watching the delivery plans that departments must now produce to ensure this provides tangible outcomes and real benefits for rural people."

"It is encouraging that more than £500 million over three years has been made available to implement the core recommendations of the Curry Commission, such as a new 'broad and shallow' agri-environmental scheme. This will incentivise farmers to move away from quantity to quality production and deliver environmental benefits, which is what the public say they want."

Forum Response: The Woodland Trust

A spokesman for The Woodland Trust told ePolitix.com: "The Woodland Trust welcomes what would appear to be provision of the full £500million recommended by the Curry report part of which will go towards the implementation of a "broad and shallow" agri-environment scheme.

"Following successful piloting of this, farmers will be paid for achieving positive environmental outcomes through changes in farming practices."

Forum Response: Country Land and Business Association

Sir Edward Greenwell, president of the CLA, told ePolitix.com: "This is a welcome first step towards funding the Curry report's recommendations, in particular by recognising farming's contribution to environmental stewardship. But the provision of £200 million per year by 2005/06 represents only 40 per cent of what the Curry Commission itself concluded would be needed for a countrywide basic tier of stewardship.

"It is also essential for the future of the rural economy that the government takes up the Curry Commission's wider recommendations, to help farmers secure a better return from the marketplace, to help their marketing and enable them to develop their businesses into new enterprises. CLA will play an active role in supporting this .

"In the forthcoming negotiations on CAP reform the government must fight Britain's corner to resist proposals that would discriminate against Britain's farming structure, and to retain for our countryside any funds transferred out of production support.

"Britain's countryside has a future if the government wins Britain's case in these negotiations, and provided the Government's domestic policies support rural business and rural communities."

Forum Response: Royal Agricultural Society

A spokesman for the Royal Agricultural Society told ePolitix.com: "We welcome the backing yup of the Curry Commission recommendations with new money from DEFRA but we have concerns that there is potentially going to be too long a delay before the bulk of the money is forthcoming.

"We must be careful not to engage in yet more piloting."

Forum Response: English Nature

Andy Brown, acting chief executive of English Nature, told ePolitix.com: "We are exited to see funding for implementation of the Curry Commission recommendations and the beginning of the new agri-environmental schemes. If properly funded, these could produce a healthier countryside for us all along with profitable farming."