Farming in the North West
Covering an area of 14,165 square km, of which almost 80% is considered rural, the North West is described as having three distinct areas, each with their own rural development issues:
- the uplands of Cumbria and the Pennines
- the lowland plains of West Lancashire, Cheshire and parts of Cumbria, and
- the urban fringes of Greater Manchester, Merseyside and other industrial towns
The North West is an area of great contrast, from the predominantly dairy farming county of Cheshire, arable and horticulture in Southwest Lancashire to the beef and sheep farming in the upland areas of North Lancashire and Cumbria.
There are approximately 17,400 main agricultural holdings in the North West. Of these, 37% are classed as cattle and sheep and 24% as dairy holdings. This compares to national figures of 28% and 12% and highlights the importance of the livestock sector in the North West. The region also has 28% of England's Less Favoured Area cattle and sheep holdings.
Although only approximately 1.4% of the total working population in the NW is employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing, this disguises the variations within. For example, some rural areas of Cumbria, the Pennines and even parts of Cheshire have more than 25% of the total workforce employed in agriculture. When tourism is included, the figure rises to over 38% in places.
Agricultural land quality varies across the North West, with the principal factor governing land use and farming practices being the climate. The relatively warm and dry lowlands of South Lancashire, the Fylde, Greater Manchester and Merseyside have the most versatile land (Grade 1 and 2) and this is used mainly for intensive horticulture and arable cropping.
The good to moderate land (Grade 3) of Cheshire, Lancashire and the Cumbrian lowlands is used for dairying and lowland cattle and sheep production. The poor (Grade 4 and 5) cool and wet uplands of Cumbria and the Pennines are mainly grazed by sheep and cattle.
Overall, when compared to England as a whole, the North West has less "most versatile" land and more "least versatile" land.
