The Impacts of Hill Farming

Hill farmers in England receive support in the form of an area payment, the Hill Farm Allowance, in recognition for the physical disadvantage of the land they farm. Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the new focus on the delivery of sustainable rural development as a driving force behind the CAP is calling into question the justification for this support.

In 2003, Defra commissioned the Institute of European Environmental Policy (IEEP), LUC and GHK Consulting to address this issue by undertaking an assessment of the impacts that hill farming has on the sustainability of the uplands and of the wider economy, environment and communities.

This research was conducted in three parts: a review of existing research, a consultation of interested bodies about their evidence and experience and the gathering of new evidence from four representative hill farming areas of England. LUC was responsibly for delivering this third part.

The results of the research, published in a three volume report, are available from Defra.