Hill Farming Communities in the North of England

Hill farming communities are fragile. There has been a decline in the numbers of moorland farmers and the critical mass of active hill farmers is becoming too small to deliver sustainable management.  Hill farmers’ incomes are low, risky and vulnerable with a heavy reliance on income from support payments. Recent policy has promoted cultivating biodiversity rather than production. Many now believe that they have been asked to reduce their numbers of sheep to unviable, low levels, both in business and sustainable hill land management terms. Traditional hefting systems have been weakened by these reductions in sheep numbers as they stray into other hefts and as a consequence routine tasks such as gathering are more onerous. Equally important, the prescriptions have narrowed hill farmers’ farming options and many feel a reduced sense of purpose, self determination and autonomy.