News & Issues
Representing the views and concerns of hill farmers and safeguarding their interests wherever we can.
Planning Meeting Lakeland Shepherds’ Guide
It's time to update the Lakeland Shepherds' Guide You may have heard that the Federation of Cumbria Commoners has received a Farming in Protected Landscapes Grant from the Lake District National Park to update the Lakeland Shepherds’ Guide, as its nearly 20 years...
Summer/ autumn newlettter is published
With apologies for a slight delay, we are pleased to be circulating our late summer newsletter. Inside this issue: Updating the Lakeland Shepherds’ Guide p 2 SFI Moorland and Road Testing p3 – 5 HLS 5-year extensions p 6 –7 Carbon on commons p 8-12 Findings from...
Sustainable Farming Incentive not on track
Commons get left behind as usual At end of June, Defra announced parts of the new Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) Scheme were open for applications. As it turns out, the only scheme relevant to moorland commons, SFI Moorland is not yet available for commons. If...
White-tailed eagles may be reintroduced to Cumbria
Mark Jenkinson, MP for Workington is supporting a project considering the reintroduction of White-tailed Eagles to Cumbria and the surrounding region. White-tailed Eagles were once widespread in Great Britain and became extinct in 1916 through human persecution. They...
Increase in SFI payments to commons necessary but not sufficient
At the end of March Defra announced an increase in the payment rates for the SFI Moorland Introductory Standard. Defra plans to launch SFI 22 Moorland Standard in June with a new annual payment rate of £10.30 per hectare - up nearly 60% from their previous offering of...
Successful AGM
We held our first “hybrid” AGM last Friday. Over 50 farmers attended, many in person and some online Outlining the work of the Federation in 2021 Joe Relph our Chairman started his report by saying our hearts must go out to the people of Ukraine. He went on to...