Defra, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, yesterday released figures showing that farmland bird numbers were at their lowest for 40 years.
According to the Soil Association, these results make it clear that more radical steps are needed to reverse the decline, since bird numbers are regarded as a good indicator of the broad state of wildlife in an area.
The Soil Association stated that organic agriculture was one way of achieving this. 'Research shows that organic farming provides 30 per cent more species and 50 per cent more overall numbers of wildlife such as birds and butterflies,' it said in a statement.
However, the organisation warns that budget cuts proposed by the UK's new coalition government could threaten such efforts.
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