'Top-down' policies failing upland farmers, major Defra review warns

A Defra-commissioned review has laid bare deep-rooted challenges facing England’s upland farmers, warning that “top-down” policies are failing to deliver meaningful change.

The report, led by Dr Hilary Cottam, sets out a blueprint for reshaping how land is managed, how food is produced and how rural communities are supported across upland areas.

Drawing on visits to regions including Dartmoor, the Lake District and the Pennines, it highlights growing pressures on farmers and rural communities, from access to land and housing to declining infrastructure and strained local economies.

The findings suggest that current approaches are struggling to balance competing demands between farming, environmental policy, tourism and community life.

Farmers told the review they feel constrained by a system that is too centralised and difficult to navigate, with one describing official bodies as “the judge, the jury and the paymaster”.

There were repeated calls for greater local control, with another group saying they want to become “system makers, not system takers”.

The report also points to widening tensions between farming and environmental priorities, with relations in some areas described as a “civil war”.

Despite this, many participants said they believe food production and nature recovery can work together, provided policies are redesigned to better reflect conditions on the ground.

Barriers facing the next generation were a key concern, with new entrants struggling to access land and finance, while younger farmers face challenges around housing, knowledge and long-term security.

The review also highlights the erosion of rural infrastructure, warning that the loss of local abattoirs, vets and routes to market is undermining farm profitability and local food systems.

In one example, a farmer said they had opted out of a supermarket contract rather than send livestock long distances for slaughter, reflecting concerns over both welfare and cost.

Housing pressures were another major issue, with the report stating there can be “no flourishing uplands without places to live and work”, and pointing to the impact of second homes and planning constraints on rural communities.

Concerns were also raised about declining public services, including transport, healthcare, schools and digital connectivity, all of which are affecting the long-term viability of upland areas.

The review is critical of what it describes as “industrialised environmentalism”, warning that large-scale nature schemes and carbon-driven land use changes are already contributing to the loss of farm tenancies.

At the same time, it highlights examples of farmer-led innovation, often driven through trusted peer networks rather than formal support systems.

It argues that future policy should focus more on backing these local relationships and moving away from short-term, centrally driven schemes.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds has signalled support for a different approach, saying the government aims to develop “a place-based approach” by “co-designing solutions to specific problems”.

She added: “That’s the most important thing here, that communities lead change from the ground up.”

Practical work is due to begin in Dartmoor from July 2026, with Cumbria set to join the programme in its second year as part of a seven-year collaboration between government and upland communities.

The project will test whether a new model can deliver for farming, rural economies and nature — and whether ministers can turn long-standing tensions in the uplands into workable solutions on the ground.