Government’s agriculture plans will put thousands of farmers out of business and wreck the Lake District’s landscape - MP

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has issued a stark warning that the Government's new agriculture plans could see the end of family farming in Britain and wreck much of Britain's landscape.

Today the Government will set out major changes to how farmers will be paid under the new Environmental Land Management Scheme with the Financial Times reporting that farmers face losing at least half of the money they get from the current Basic Payment Scheme.

Tim said: "Although the new agriculture scheme may be well intentioned, the Government's handling of this could prove fatal for thousands of farmers up and down this country.

"We rightly wouldn't accept a 50% pay cut for our nurses or our teachers - so why on earth should we accept it for our farmers who feed us, maintain our wonderful landscape and protect our environment?

"We are told that the plans will provide environmental goods, but if the Government bankrupts our farmers in the process then who will be left to look after the environment?

"We could see the landscape of the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and many other of Britain's beauty spots destroyed as a result.

"If the Government truly is committed to protecting the environment and backing British farming, then they must, must, must think again."