Farming in the Uplands

The uplands are rare and beautiful landscapes which have been formed in large part by generations of agricultural endeavour. The future of these valuable landscapes and the communities that live there depend on hill farming remaining as the principle form of land management. The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) was established to promote awareness of rural needs; represent rural communities; provide advice to Government on rural issues; collect data and conduct research. The CRC has strived to make all government departments consider the needs of rural communities when making and implementing policy. The Government has decided to abolish the Commission for Rural Communities—it therefore falls to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and its Ministers to continue the work of the Commission and to act as the advocate for rural communities within Government.

This inquiry builds on the CRC’s report High ground, high potential—a future for England’s upland communities. In responding to this report and the CRC’s report, Defra must produce an uplands strategy that sets out a clear, costed action plan that sets out how it will ensure that hill farming in the uplands can be viable and thrive.

Many hill farms struggle to make sufficient income and would fail without subsidy provided through the Common Agricultural Policy. Farming must remain at the centre of any strategy for the uplands. Defra must tackle the main barriers to hill farming becoming viable, including the management and delivery of agri-environment schemes and the Single Payment Scheme. The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy will be decided later this year. The reformed CAP must provide incentives and mechanisms to encourage hill farmers to make the most of the opportunities in the uplands. Upland farming would benefit from a return to a limited form of coupled payment.

The Government must enable hill farmers to make a financial return from the provision of public goods such as carbon storage and water management. Hill farmers will require access to improved knowledge transfer and extension services to make the most of those opportunities, as well as improving agricultural productivity and sustainability. Upland farmers also need the tools and support to enable them to diversify to supplement their farming activity.

Upland communities should be given the opportunity to develop. Access to the internet through superfast broadband is one element of that development. The Government should support upland communities by assisting local planning authorities to provide affordable housing. Upland communities and hill farmers should not be disadvantaged in respect of accessing grants, particularly the Rural Development Programme for England.

The Government must decide whether it wishes agriculture in the uplands to continue.

The maintenance of the uplands’ unique and precious landscapes depends on supporting hill farming and ensuring they have a future.