MP Tells Minister - "Act Now to Save our Historic Landscape"

Liberal Democrat MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming Tim Farron yesterday took Farming Minister Lord Rooker on a tour of some of the most rugged hill farm country in UK, a journey taking them from the Kentmere valley to Longsleddale, over the rough track that connects the two valleys. NFU officials, who arranged the trip and provided the transport, included Derek Lomax, NFU Group Secretary who also joined Tim and Lord Rooker on their tour.

The Minister was told that there were now barely a dozen farmers in the two valleys - down from about 40 only 25 years ago - and that only two or three of the farmers had much chance of being succeeded by their children. Mr Farron informed the Minister that with no sign of people moving into hill farming from outside farming families, the future of the uplands was in severe doubt. The minister indicated that the treasury's limits on DEFRA budgets could be behind the government's failure to invest in the countryside.

Speaking in response, Tim said:

"The Lake District's tourism industry brings in £1 Billion each year, and a significant chunk of that goes back to the Treasury in taxation. Without the work of our farmers, there would barely be a tourism industry, yet they are struggling to make a living like never before."

"The drop in prices due to foot and mouth this autumn has cost farmers thousands of pounds - most hill farmers have lost well in excess of £10,000. The government needs to act immediately to prevent a meltdown that will badly affect food production in the UK as well as hurting our vital tourism industry."