Reports have indicated that the Haskins review of agricultural policy will recommend an overhaul of the Countryside Agency and the break up of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Forum Response: Countryside Alliance

Richard Burge, chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said: "We support the revision of Defra to a policy department with all implementation being outsourced to an agency.

"We support the creation of a single agency as a means to integrate conflicting approaches to the countryside, provided that the agency is focused on delivering a service to its clients rather than to government, and that the government recognised that the sustainable use of the land - in its broadest sense - should be the bedrock of the rural economy and society.

"In particular we want to environmental and recreational use of the land become part of a farmer's profitability, not the burden it is now.

"We support authority being devolved to the regions but would want to seen mechanisms in place to ensure real rural participation in the decisions and implementation."