THE number of so-called "green farms" converting to environmental stewardship schemes has passed the 1,000 mark in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, the countryside ministry Defra announced today.

The stewardship schemes are a key part of the Government's aim to reform the notorious European Common Agricultural Policy and compensate farmers for switching their work away from the over-production of food to landscape and wildlife conservation.

The take-up has been slow in some areas - many farmers have been put off by the red tape involved in joining the scheme - so today, Defra officials are staging a press conference to welcome the 1,000th Yorkshire farmer to sign on.

He is John Parkes, of Ridgewood Farm near Braithwell, South Yorks.