DON’T panic yet was the advice from Cotswold farmer Henry Robinson, deputy president of the Country Land and Business Association, when he spoke at the Pershore Farming Conference on CAP reform. The annual event organised by the Pershore & Upton branch of the NFU at The Frank Parkinson Centre, Pershore College, was described by conference chairman, John Mercer, NFU regional director in the West Midlands, as “a fantastic evening,” and he urged farmers to write to their MPs and MEPs about any concerns they might have on greening measures. Mr Robinson said there was a long way to go before any changes were made. “Don’t panic yet,” he said. “Things will get changed dramatically. Carry on farming with your environmental schemes if they make sense to you. “Please support the Campaign for the Farmed Environment and please keep up voluntary measures.” Other speakers included Dr James Jones, head of farm management at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, who said there were a great many consultations and stages to go through before anything was finalised, and Maeve Whyte, director of NFU Brussels office, who confirmed: “We are in the very early stages and there is everything to play for.” She gave an insight into what went on in the background of all the discussions in Brussels and how decisions were reached. Ray Foster-Morison, NFU group secretary at Pershore, said they were grateful to the sponsors, Carver Knowles and Crowthers, for their support. “I was very pleased with the way it all went,” he said.