A Defra-commissioned review has laid bare deep-rooted challenges facing England’s upland farmers, warning that “top-down” policies are failing to deliver meaningful change.
The report, led by Dr Hilary Cottam, sets out a blueprint for reshaping how land is managed, how food is produced and how rural communities are supported across upland areas.
Drawing on visits to regions including Dartmoor, the Lake District and the Pennines, it highlights growing pressures on farmers and rural communities, from access to land and housing to declining infrastructure and strained local economies.