News & Issues
Representing the views and concerns of hill farmers and safeguarding their interests wherever we can.
Natural England boss visits Cumbria to see for himself
On August 25th Rob Cooke, Natural England Programme Director came to Cumbria to discuss inconsistencies in the application of HLS Extensions. He wanted to see the issues first-hand. Rob met two land agents and Federation committee members, Jo Edwards and Charles...
Halt changes to stocking rates for HLS extensions
The Federation is calling on Defra and NE to pause reductions in stocking rates when negotiating HLS extensions unti ELM comes on stream. We explain our reasons why. Comparing notes throughout England Over the past few months, we have compared notes with commoners in...
Response to lump sum exit scheme consultation
We submitted our response to the BPS Exit scheme consultation. We focused on the sole question about common rights in the consultation. It asks whether farmers who claim BPS on common land should give up their rights if they claim the lump sum. While we like simple...
Minister Victoria Prentis visits Nether Wasdale
The Minister sees commoning for herself On July 4th, the Defra Minister, Victoria Prentis MP, Trudi Harrison (local MP for Copeland) and Defra civil servants visited Nether Wasdale Common. They wanted to find out more about the Commons Test and Trial we are...
Our letter is gaining traction
The letter to Tim Farron and other MPs does seem to be getting noticed. Tim Farron has written to the Rt Hon George Eustice MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs to raise these concerns to his attention and to urge his intervention on behalf...
Commons Tests & Trials update
The Federation have teamed up with the Foundation for Common Land (FCL) to deliver one of 46 DEFRA Tests and Trials (T & T) currently in progress in England. These T & Ts are informing the development and design of DEFRA’s new Environmental Land Management...