Farming in the Uplands - ARCHIVE: Defra

Ev 58 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee: Evidence
financial margins. The farming systems survive only because of the public supports. The challenge for the
future is to realise the value of the management systems that produce ecosystem services and in doing so
realise the potential of our upland areas.
The ability of upland land management to provide a reasonable living standard is critical to the future of
the uplands. This goal will never be reached by dependence on selling agricultural products alone. However,
with the right frameworks for public and private payment for more of the non-market ecosystem services,
alongside developing markets for renewable energy and forestry products there is great potential to be
tapped.
Upland communities form the bedrock from which the resilience and determination of the upland land
managers is derived but they are under threat. Planning policies which should foster economic development,
(thus creating jobs) and create aVordable housing (so that those who work in the uplands can live in their
communities) is essential. Similarly, provision of rural broadband is crucial to the sustainability of upland
businesses and communities.
Response to the CRC’s Recommendations Outlined in their Report High ground, high potential
In order to facilitate economic development and the retention of upland communities the CLA believe
the following set of actions are necessary.
Leadership and a Strategic Overview
A cross government upland strategy must be developed. A suitably experienced individual is needed to
chair a stakeholder group to progress and deliver such a strategy. Similarly a Defra Minister should have
explicit responsibility for upland areas.
We believe the focus on localism and Big Society is particularly relevant in upland areas. Local Enterprise
Partnerships (LEPs) must promote and protect the economic concerns of the rural uplands.
Economy should be included in the remit of National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
but without enhancing the National Park Authorities powers. The problems with the planning system are
all the more acute in NPs because of the restrictions on economic activity. Local communities should be able
to hold National Parks to account where due consideration has not been given to the economics of a
proposal.
Fostering Economic Development
Public Support
Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) labours under the negative concepts of agriculture. These areas could
instead be referred to as Environmentally Favoured Areas (EFA). Greater recognition needs to be giving to
the positive outputs of our uplands including the ecosystem services that can be provided through active
management. This must include the vital contribution they make to food production and animal breeding.
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The upcoming CAP reform should recognise the challenges of farming and land management in Europe’s
marginal areas. Consolidation of the LFA payments into the core basic Pillar 1 supports would make a
clearer, simpler, more stable and enduring contractual payment. This would enable upland farms to provide
a wide range of ecosystem services including food. A switch in policy emphasis is likely to be supported by
society as shown by the recent report by FERA and Newcastle University. 1 If these payments had the
characteristics of current Pillar 2 supports—namely they are paid on a multi-annual (say five or seven year)
contractual basis—they would have the capacity to oVer greater certainty, stability and more simplicity for
both farmers and government.
Future payments must consider a new approach to calculating income foregone. An alternative approach
based on opportunity cost could see farmers paid income based on the best alternative occupation away
from hill farming.
Value-added products
There is a constant need to encourage and help upland farming strive for high-quality, regionally and
locally distinct breeds and products and to develop new routes to market which shorten the food chain and
seek to get more value-added back to the primary producer. The means to do this are through assistance in
the CAP Pillar 2 Axis 1 for raising quality, and encouraging producer and marketing groups. Demonstration
projects and dissemination of best practice are also important components.
1 The Food and Environmental Research Agency and Newcastle University. (July 2010). Estimating the Wildlife and Landscape
Benefits of Environmental Stewardship.