Greater reward for farming the uplands
ENPAA calls for greater reward for farming the uplands
ENPAA Chairman, Nigel Hoskin, has written to the Secretary of State Rt. Hon Hilary Benn MP regarding the need for reforms if the proposed Upland Entry Level Scheme (UELS) is to deliver continued conservation in the hills.
Many of England’s National Parks are found in upland areas, and the work of farmers operating in these difficult conditions is crucial to protecting and enhancing the special qualities of the National Parks. These uplands provide many public benefits in terms of wildlife conservation, stunning landscapes, recreational opportunities, and (as is increasingly being recognised) as stores of large amounts of carbon too.
In December 2006 the then Secretary of State David Miliband MP announced that after the Hill Farm Allowance ended in 2009, that he was minded to integrate support for the uplands into Environmental Stewardship through a new Upland Entry Level Scheme. ENPAA has been working with Defra and others on the detail of this scheme but remains concerned that further changes are needed for it to contribute towards its original objectives. This means recognising, for example, that under-grazing in the uplands, like over-grazing, can be damaging for conservation. Ultimately ENPAA looks for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy to ensure those who farm in our National Parks are rewarded for the many public benefits they help deliver.
