NFU Challenges natural England's upland vision

The NFU is challenging Natural England’s Upland Vision to ensure that agri-environment schemes and the market place are given equal recognition for their dual contribution to the future of the uplands.

NFU uplands spokesman Will Cockbain has sounded the warning, on the day Natural England launches its Upland Vision 2060, which explores in detail the future of the natural environment.

Mr Cockbain said:"Extensive livestock grazing has shaped and conserved the English uplands for generations. The effort of hill farmers has ensured a productive and accessible countryside, rich in cultural and environmental heritage - an outcome that we should all celebrate.

"Over the next 50 years, farming will matter more than ever in a changing climate.The English uplands will have a growing opportunity to respond to the food production challenge–to produce more and impact less.We are in no doubt that farmers and farming will remain central to any future vision of the uplands. The primary purpose of the uplands will remain food production; as a source of high quality meat and breeding stock for lowland livestock producers. Alongside this primary purpose, Natural England’s vision correctly highlights the many public benefits that farming provides in addition to food production–sadly little of this value resides within farm businesses.

"So the challenge for our organisations is to capture the real value of these benefits and translate them into an economically sustainable bottom line for the current and future generations of upland farmers."

NFU, Agriculture House,Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2TZ