Thursday, 08 January 2009

Hill farm scheme to lower incomes

CUMBRIAN MP Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat Defra spokesman, fears the new Uplands Entry Level Scheme will leave many hill farmers without vital funding.

tfarronmw
Welcome: Tim Farron

He has now called on the Government to request a one year extension of the Hill Farm Allowance scheme from the European Union.

The new funding scheme for hill farmers is due to be decided in the next few weeks but he claims its draft version will be too exclusive for most hill farmers, leaving many with a massive drop in incomes.

Mr Farron has tabled an Early Day Motion asking for a one year extension to the allowance to allow time for a fairer deal for hill farmers.

He said: “Hill farming forms a unique part of the British countryside; which rightly deserves protection. Without it we risk damaging not only our food resources but the landscape. The proposed new scheme is a criminally inadequate replacement for the Hill Farm allowance which if allowed to progress as it stands could help to destroy hill farming.”

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