DEFRA confirms moorland payment rise

DEFRA has confirmed the amount of increase moorland farmers will see as part of CAP reform from 2015.

The moorland payment will increase by £26/ha under CAP payments from next year.

This means farmers across the Yorkshire Dales, Dartmoor and the Lake District will benefit from a new rate of about £56/ha.

See also: DEFRA analysis bolsters case for moorland payments

This equates to a payment rate of €70/ha for moorland and €244/ha for lowland and SDA land.

DEFRA secretary Owen Paterson, said: “Moorland farmers play a vital role in managing some our most treasured landscapes.

“This payment increase will help farmers maintain our moorlands and deliver a significant boost for tourism and the rural economy in these areas.”

Tim Farron, MP for South Lakes, president of the Liberal Democrats, and chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on hill farming, said: “This is good news and has shown that our lobbying has paid off.”

“This funding will help support upland farmers, who tend our landscape. I will keep fighting for our farmers and doing all I can to support them.”

The new CAP comes into effect from 1 January 2015.

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