The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has launched a bold new vision for the uplands, including Dartmoor National Park, outlining how farmers, local communities, and government can collaborate to build a sustainable future for these cherished landscapes.
Key highlights include:
▪️ Empowering upland farm businesses: The NFU calls for upland farms to be prosperous, resilient, innovative, and diverse — enabling them to deliver both high-quality food and public goods like biodiversity, carbon storage, and flood mitigation.
▪️ Fair access to environmental schemes: The vision champions more inclusive Environmental Land Management schemes, with higher payment rates and clearer participation options for both tenant and private upland farms.
▪️ Valuing cultural and heritage assets: Upland landscapes are recognised not only for their ecological value but also as cultural foundations of vibrant rural communities.
NFU Deputy President David Exwood emphasises the unique role of upland farmers: “Upland farmers are the custodians of some of our most cherished landscapes. You can’t have ‘sunlit uplands’ without the people who made them that way.”
However, the NFU also warns that these communities face mounting pressures—from shrinking direct payments and uncertainty over scheme futures, to tax and tenancy insecurity.
Their vision calls for targeted policies that recognise and reward the environmental and cultural stewardship delivered by upland farmers.
