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The article focuses on the impact on British farmers of the changes to the Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) scheme as the first 26,000 agreements come up for renewal during 2010/2011. The removal of paper-based management planning options is identified as a key modification to the new scheme. Amendments to management prescriptions, like those for mixed stocking, and amendments to the establishment of skylark plots are among other changes. It notes that farmers would be paid to apply environmentally-friendly measures under the ELS scheme.

The article reports on British farm minister George Eustice's claim that majority of farmers will not change their farming practices to comply with the greening measures of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Eustice said that a paper has been published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) which estimates that 7 percent of farmers need to change their farming practices. He believes that the remaining 93 percent will be satisfied with the rule changes.

The article reports on the appeal made by the British government to farmers and green advocates to settle their differences and collaborate in improving the environment while increasing food production. Based on the Natural Environment White Paper issued on June 7, 2011, all interested parties should work together to achieve these goals through integrated land management. The opinion of National Farmers Union (NFU) deputy president Meurig Raymond on the appeal is also cited.