§ 33. Sir David Rentonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that modern crop farming methods often damage the landscape, destroy the habitat of much wild life and adversely affect the quality of the soil, what steps are being taken to advise those farmers whose land is thus affected how to overcome these disadvantages, and others how to avoid them.
§ Mr. StrangThe effects that modern crop farming methods can have on the landscape, the habitat of wildlife and the quality of the soil are taken into account by my Department's Advisory Service when giving advice to farmers. For ex-914W ample, special care is taken on the siting and the colour of new buildings; the need to avoid harm to wildlife by unnecessary hedge removal and inadequate management of hedges; and the planting of copses on unusable small corners of fields for shelter and as habitat for wildlife. There is no evidence that the quality and structure of soils are significantly affected by pesticides.