25 June 2008
South West hill farming under threat
The fragile economic viability of hill farming in the south west of England, already threatened by years of poor returns, may be made worse by the unintended consequences of the new Single Payment Scheme (SPS), a new study has found. The report, by the University of Exeter, Duchy College and Cumulus Consultants Ltd, paints a bleak picture of the future for the South West’s sheep and cattle hill farmers. The report argues that an uncertain future for hill farming is also threatening the future of some of the South West’s most treasured landscapes.
Martin Turner of the University of Exeter, who led the research, which was commissioned by the Duchy of Cornwall and Dartmoor and Exmoor National Park Authorities, said:
'Hill farmers are rightly expected to deliver a wide range of ‘public goods’, to support wildlife for example, alongside their farming activities. However, our work has shown that their current financial position is already far from robust, and that the projected cut-back in public support over the next few years will further compromise the viability of some of these businesses. Our research calls into question the longer-term future of traditional hill farming systems unless further targeted support can be found.'
The report takes into account projected changes to the Single Payment Scheme, the European Union’s principal agricultural subsidy scheme. It was introduced in 2005 and rewards farmers for environmentally-friendly farming practices. The report estimates that many of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall’s hill farmers will lose out and that projected reductions in their SPS payments will cause Farm Business Income on the average cattle or sheep hill farm to fall by a third (34%) by 2013.
The research found that many hill farmers are already getting less than the national minimum wage for their work and absolutely no return on their investment. With an average Farm Business Income of less than £10,000 many hill farms are simply not viable at the present time even before the projected cut-back in public funding.
Public funding from government has long been viewed as the key to a viable hill farming industry, with successive policies aimed at supporting these farms dating back more than sixty years. This report suggests that while hill farmers are supportive of their new, broader role they have become more economically vulnerable, which does not bode well for the future protection, maintenance and enhancement of the natural and historic environment of the region’s moorland.
The situation is predicted to be bleaker still for farms in ‘extreme’ locations, such as Devon’s high moorlands. Among the most remote in the region, these farms face the harshest conditions and are even more heavily dependent on public funds for their survival.
Exmoor National Park Authority Chairman John Dyke commented:
'South West hill farmers have to farm in much more difficult circumstances than most of their lowland counterparts. Over many decades successive Governments have recognised this by assisting our upland areas with a variety of special support mechanisms. These aids have been run down over the last three years and farming in the hills is rapidly becoming unviable. Farming in the hills of the South West provides considerable public benefits and I emphasised the plight of hill farmers to Defra's Parliamentary Secretary, Jonathan Shaw, in his recent visit to Exmoor National Park. The University of Exeter study provides good evidence of the current position and emphasises that changes to the present regime are urgently necessary.'
The report also explains the important role that traditional hill farming plays in the maintenance and protection of the countryside, especially on the remote regions of Bodmin Moor, Exmoor and Dartmoor. For example, 90% of the drinking water for 1.6 million people in Devon and Cornwall comes from the south west uplands, which also provide 285 square miles of public open space and unique wildlife and archaeology.
Nigel Hoskin, Chairman, Dartmoor National Park Authority said:
'We need to recognise the true value of these upland areas, not only for quality food production, rich biodiversity, and beautiful landscapes enjoyed by millions of people, but also in the context of a new challenge that is facing us – the management of carbon and water. The integrity of these Devon landscapes is essential, not just for the upland communities, but for us all. If that integrity is to be preserved and sustained, we must have action now to secure a fair deal for those who we, as a nation, will increasingly rely on to deliver.'
Ends
For further information, to access the report or to arrange to speak to the researchers:
Sarah Hoyle
Press Officer
University of Exeter
(01392) 262062 / 07989 446920
For further information from Dartmoor National Park Authority:
Suzanne Goodfellow, Director of Park Management, Dartmoor National Park Authority
Tel: (01626) 832093
Mike Nendick, Communications Officer, Dartmoor National Park Authority
Tel: (01626) 832093
Agendas for full Dartmoor National Park Authority meetings and Dartmoor National Park Authority planning meetings are available on the Authority's web site .
You can receive an e-mail notification each time a News Release is issued by the Dartmoor National Park Authority .
News Releases from all UK National Parks (external link, opens new window)
For further information from Exmoor National Park Authority
Clare O'Connor, External Relations Manager, Exmoor National Park Authority
Tel: (01398) 322244
Notes for Editors
Hill farming systems in south west England: Economic viability and the delivery of public goods was written by Martin Turner (University of Exeter), Keith Robbins (Duchy College) and Paul Silcock (Cumulus Consultants Ltd. It was commissioned by The Duchy of Cornwall and Dartmoor and Exmoor National Park Authorities. The report is available by email on request or at www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
The report is published prior to a conference on 27 June 2008 at which solutions to the issues surrounding the uplands will be proposed to both government decision makers and upland farmers. The conference takes place at Dartington Hall, Totnes, and will include representatives from farmers as well as organisations who play a key role in supporting and securing a viable future for the uplands.
For more information visit www.swcore.co.uk (external link, opens new window)
A leaflet promoting the range of public benefits provided by upland farming in the south west of England has been produced by a partnership of Dartmoor and Exmoor National Park Authorities, Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the RSPB. The leaflet can be viewed at www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
Dartmoor National Park Authority has produced an exhibition highlighting the link between quality upland landscapes and farming. This major new exhibition runs throughout the summer at Dartmoor National Park Authority’s High Moorland Visitor Centre, Princetown.
National Parks cover 10% of the land area of England, Wales and Scotland. They are of special value to the whole nation because of their great beauty, their wildlife and cultural interests and the opportunities they offer for quiet enjoyment. However, they are not nationally owned - the land is in the hands of many landowners or occupiers including farmers. Over 33,500 people live inside the Dartmoor National Park and many millions of visits are made to it each year.
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This page last updated 25 June 2008
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