Farming in the Uplands - Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Contents


1  Introduction

Background

1.  The English uplands include some of the most dramatic and cherished landscapes in the country.[1] There is no precise definition of 'uplands'—they are semi-natural habitats, including wet and dry dwarf shrub heaths, blanket bog and other mires, scrub, bracken and grasslands (including acid, calcareous and neutral). The uplands are largely, but not exclusively, above the upper limits of enclosed farmland and have to some extent been formed by generations of agricultural activity.[2] This inquiry was prompted in part by our recognition of the special nature of agriculture in the uplands and the Commission for Rural Communities' (CRC) report on the uplands, High ground, high potential—a future for England's upland communities.[3]

2.  We announced the inquiry on 16 September[4] and received 25 written submissions.[5] We took oral evidence from Dr Stuart Burgess, the Chairman of the CRC and Rural Advocate, Professor Mark Shucksmith, Commissioner, CRC, Tenant Farmers Association (TFA),[6] National Farmers Union (NFU) and Country Land and Business Association (CLA),[7] and English National Park Authorities Association (ENPAA)[8] and the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, James Paice MP.[9] We are very grateful to all those who helped us with our inquiry.

3.  The CRC launched its inquiry into the future of England's upland communities on 11 February 2009. The aim of the inquiry was to "identify and evaluate the drivers of change in upland communities, and to develop policy recommendations to enable and equip them to move towards more secure, economically prosperous and sustainable futures".[10] In High ground, high potential the CRC explained the rationale for undertaking its inquiry:

...the English uplands are valuable national assets worthy of protection not only in their own right but because of the many natural and cultural resources they generate. [...] Yet these communities are under threat, facing as they do a number of social, demographic and economic challenges in a period of quite extraordinary change....[11]

4.  High ground, high potential was published on 15 June 2010. In the report the CRC made 35 recommendations covering: strategy and leadership; empowering upland communities; securing a future for hill farmers and funding farmers; developing new markets and encouraging enterprise; planning and community development; and broadband and mobile communications (Annex 1 lists the recommendations in High ground, high potential). The recommendations cover issues that are the responsibility of several Government departments including the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Communities and Local Government Department (CLG), the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

5.  The majority of the written evidence submitted to our inquiry supported the broad aims of the recommendations in High ground, high potential. We have focussed on farming in the uplands, although we have touched on other issues that affect upland communities. The principal output of farming in the uplands is livestock (beef and sheep meat production), although dairying is also important in some regions.[12] Many consider farming to be critical to preserving the uplands' landscapes and communities. Defra, in its written evidence, referred to the public view that upland economies, communities and landscape would suffer if farming declined. The special nature of farming in the uplands was acknowledged in many of the submissions to the inquiry. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said that:

It is widely recognised that farmers involved in livestock production are responsible for the stewardship of the bulk of our upland landscapes and habitats. In many cases, livestock farming represents the only opportunity to manage land through agriculture with land either too steep for cultivation or above the tree line at which point even forestry becomes impossible.[13]

6.  In its report the CRC noted that now only 5.2% of the uplands workforce is directly employed in agriculture or forestry.[14] However, the CRC described hill farming as "a way of life that remains central to most of the uplands".[15] Professor Shucksmith expanded on this during oral evidence. He told us that one of his top priorities from the report was the need "... to emphasise and to recognise the interdependence of the hill farmers and the public goods and assets with the upland communities in which they're embedded".[16]

7.  We have considered the recommendations made in High ground, high potential and the reaction to them by interested parties. This report broadly follows the structure of High ground, high potential. We have naturally focussed on the issues most relevant to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) but have also considered matters that are the principal responsibility of other Government departments. We expect Defra to consider our recommendations alongside those made by the Commission for Rural Communities in formulating its uplands strategy.


1   In this inquiry we have used the same definition of the uplands as the Commission for Rural Communities. See High ground, high potential, page 26 Back

2   See Ev 68 for description of upland geography and habitats. Back

3   High ground, high potential - a future for England's upland communities, Commission for Rural Communities, 15 June 2010, Hereinafter 'High ground, high potential'. Back

4   The Terms of reference for the inquiry are at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environment-food-and-rural-affairs-committee/news/farming-in-the-uplands/ Back

5   Written evidence to the inquiry is at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environment-food-and-rural-affairs-committee/publications/ Back

6   George Dunn, Chief Executive, and Mike Keeble, Uplands Spokesman, Tenant Farmers Association Back

7   Dr Andrew Clark, Head of Policy, NFU, Will Cockbain, Uplands Spokesman, NFU, William Worsley, President, CLA, and Professor Allan Buckwell, Director of Policy, CLA Back

8   Dr Nigel Stone, Chief Executive, Exmoor National Park, and Peter Barfoot, Head of Conservation, North York Moors National Park, English National Park Authorities Association Back

9   Accompanied by Jeremy Eppel, Deputy Director, Uplands, and Dan Osgood, Deputy Director, Environmental Land Management, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Back

10   Commission for Rural Communities, High ground, high potential: a future for England's upland communities, July 2010, p 5 Back

11   High ground, high potential, p 22. Back

12   Ev 71 Back

13   Ev w26 Back

14   High ground, high potential , p 4. Manufacturing and the wholesale and retail trade are the dominant employers in the uplands (34%). Back

15   High ground, high potential, p 22. Back

16   Q 6 Back


 
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