FARMERS should get greater incentives to manage the countryside for public benefit and to produce food in an environmentally friendly way, according to a new vision launched by the National Trust.

The Trust says building a new "contract" of understanding between farmers and the public is vital to develop a viable future for farming and regain public confidence.

It has called for a radical overhaul of the Common Agricultural Policy, investment in training and skills for a new generation of farmers and land managers, twinning farms to work with schools and a government-funded voucher giving a free farm visit to every child, and help for farmers to process, market and sell their produce locally.

The Trust also wants a new "green mark" for food produced to high environmental standards, which rewards farmers with premium prices.

Fiona Reynolds, director-general of the Trust, said: "Farming in Britain faces a very uncertain future.

"It is critical that we grasp the opportunities ahead, learn from what works on the ground and chart a course for sustainable farming in the 21st century."