The Uplands

Farming and livestock production

Upland farms are a cornerstone of the red meat supply chain, both nationally and internationally, and play a vital role in ensuring the UK’s food security. They support a thriving livestock sector that contributes significantly to our economy and our global reputation for high-quality, sustainable produce.

It is essential that both government and industry prioritise the development of upland farming systems that enhance agricultural productivity while supporting biodiversity.

Currently, around 40% of England’s breeding ewes and 27% of beef breeding cows are based in upland areas and their fringes¹. These animals produce offspring that are sold to lowland farms, where they are finished on richer pastures, supplying the market with premium, climate-responsible beef and lamb.

After their breeding years, upland livestock continue to deliver value through domestic and export markets. Mutton, for example, is a prized product for halal, North African, and Middle Eastern consumers.

Without the breeding base provided by the uplands, the UK’s livestock sector, worth an estimated £5.5 billion², would face significant disruption.

However, upland farmers face growing pressures, particularly from policies that incentivise reduced livestock numbers through environmental schemes and designations.

In some cases, the most financially successful farms in these areas are those with the lowest stock levels and greatest reliance on public payments. We need to end this binary choice between livestock keeping and conservation and develop systems where farmers are fairly rewarded both for the food they produce and for the complementary environmental benefits they deliver.

Upland areas have historically had formal recognition (delivered via the Less Favoured Areas designation) for the physical and regulatory constraints that limit intensification. Poorer soils, challenging weather conditions, and multiple land designations including Protected Landscapes and Sites of Special Scientific Interest restrict development and farm diversification.

For these reasons, it is essential that upland farms are given the opportunity to modernise, meet compliance requirements, and invest in innovation. This will allow them to improve efficiency and remain productive contributors to the food system.

Building a future-ready upland sector requires policies that enable profitable, productive, and sustainable farm businesses. With the right investment, regulatory approach, planning flexibility, and skills development, upland farmers can continue to lead in delivering high-quality food, thriving ecosystems, and resilient rural economies.

Environment and nature

Upland areas, shaped over centuries by traditional farming, are not just places of beauty. They are living, working environments where nature and agriculture are deeply interconnected. Upland farmers play a pivotal role in managing these landscapes.

Hosting a range of important habitats, from mountain and moorland to peatland, heath, and woodland, the uplands have evolved over thousands of years.

Upland farmers are stewards of these areas, contributing directly to nature recovery and climate resilience through their long-standing engagement with agri-environment schemes³.

Upland farms contribute to the management of the UK’s natural capital. Around 70% of our drinking water comes from the uplands⁴, where land use practices can influence water quality.

Well-managed grasslands and peatlands in these areas can function as natural filtration systems and help regulate water flow, potentially reducing flood and drought risks and supporting more stable water levels for nearby communities.

Pastoral grazing with sheep, cattle, and ponies has long shaped the upland landscape. Their continued presence maintains the character and accessibility of these areas while protecting biodiversity and reducing the risk of wildfires. Their role in managing vegetation and preserving open habitats is irreplaceable.

To secure a vibrant uplands, it is essential all those involved in their future – including farmers, landowners, commoners, Natural England, and environmental NGOs – share a common ambition.

Many farmers are tenants and it is through strong, positive partnerships and shared responsibility that we can ensure both productive land use and environmental enhancement. Upland farmers are ready to work with all stakeholders to develop integrated landscape management approaches that deliver for food, nature and people.

The opportunity is clear: with the right policies and partnerships, upland farms can continue to deliver for food security, climate action, biodiversity, and vibrant rural communities – all from the same extraordinary landscapes.

Rural economy and community

Upland farms play a key role in the rural economy and are central to the sustainability of rural communities. They create secure employment which promotes growth in some of England’s most remote areas, supporting 13% of the national agricultural workforce⁶.

Upland landscapes attract millions of visitors every year, with nearly 37 million visits in 2017 alone⁷. They are celebrated for their tranquillity, quiet enjoyment, inspirational nature and recreation.

Tourism in rural areas is estimated to contribute £11.5 billion to the economy⁸. Without upland agriculture, the landscapes, communities, and cultural heritage that attract visitors would significantly change. Upland farming businesses play a key role in maintaining these iconic places.

These family businesses provide the foundation of upland communities. They support local services year-round, their children attend rural schools, they spend in shops, use suppliers, and sustain rural pubs and services.

Beyond their economic contributions, farmers are community minded, providing vital help in emergencies, maintaining access, and retaining skills and knowledge that are unique and irreplaceable.

To ensure these businesses thrive and continue to deliver for people, nature, and the economy, government policy must be shaped in close consultation with those who live and work in the uplands.

Undermining the critical mass of upland livestock locally and regionally presents real risk to the iconic landscapes that attract visitors and help support the rural economy. Livestock are not only integral to the landscape and its ecology, but have irreplaceable genetics and represent significant capital investment, particularly for tenant farmers.

Upland farms are dynamic rural businesses, creating skilled employment and supporting a wide network of local businesses – from vets and machinery dealers to butchers, contractors, and livestock markets. These businesses underpin the economy in some of the most isolated parts of the country.

With the right support, upland farms can continue to fuel vibrant economies, sustain resilient communities, and deliver a wealth of environmental and cultural benefits for the nation.

Culture, heritage and tradition

Upland farming is central to the cultural identity, heritage, and
traditions of upland communities. Agricultural practices have shaped these landscapes over generations, contributing to historical land use and community life.

Future policy will affect how these cultural and heritage landscapes are preserved while environmental and economic objectives are met in upland regions.

Upland farmers use traditional skills – shepherding, dry-stone walling, hedge laying, and the maintenance of stone-faced banks and field boundaries – which are passed down through generations. These practices support wildlife, enhance biodiversity, and sustain the landscape’s visual character, reflecting decades of careful stewardship.

Upland farms are deeply rooted in place and community. Many have remained within the same families for generations, through both ownership and long-standing tenancies.

The traditional stone barns and farmhouses that dot these landscapes are physical markers of continuity, while local dialects, folk song and poetry speak to the social and cultural richness of the uplands. These contributions to national heritage must be recognised, celebrated, and preserved.

The uplands are home to 82% of England’s common land⁹, which has been shared and managed through the rights of commoners for centuries. It continues to underpin sustainable land management and community collaboration.

A “hefted flock” refers to a group of sheep that are accustomed to grazing within a specific, often communal, area of land, without the need for physical fences.

This practice, common in mountainous or hill regions, is achieved through generations of sheep being taught
the boundaries and resources within their “heaf” (the area they graze). The sheep learn, through observation and experience, where to find good grazing and shelter at different times of the year.

The practice of keeping hefted flocks was instrumental in the Lake District receiving UNESCO World Heritage Site status¹⁰. Yet it is under threat. Destocking of the uplands undermines its continuation, despite its cultural significance.

With the right support, upland farmers can continue to protect and enrich these extraordinary landscapes, sustaining the traditions, identity and legacy of the British countryside for generations to come.

Net zero, climate change and sustainability

The UK has set a bold target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with an interim goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 81% below 1990 levels by 2035.

Upland farms are uniquely positioned to help meet these targets, offering powerful opportunities for both climate mitigation and adaptation. With vast areas of species-rich grassland, peatlands, and semi-natural vegetation, the uplands hold exceptional potential for carbon sequestration and environmental recovery.

Approximately 355,000 hectares of England’s deep peat soils lie in upland areas¹¹. Peatland in the UK is estimated to hold three billion tonnes of carbon – more than the combined forests of the UK, France, and Germany¹².

In 2017, upland landscapes removed atmospheric carbon equivalent to £130 million in value¹³, a figure expected to rise significantly as carbon markets develop. With targeted support, upland farms can play a leading role in peatland restoration and long-term climate resilience.

Through sustainable grazing systems, upland farmers actively improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and enhance carbon capture across grasslands, moorlands, woodlands, and peatlands. In doing so, they deliver a wide range of ecosystem services, including water regulation, habitat conservation, and cultural stewardship.

Upland farming makes optimal use of marginal land to produce high quality, nutrient-dense beef and lamb with minimal chemical inputs, exemplifying circular, low-carbon food production.

Beyond food, these farms contribute to a wider green economy — generating wool and fibre, serving direct-to consumer and niche meat markets, and supplying products for value-added sectors.

The uplands are also well suited for renewable energy generation, natural flood management, and water quality protection, helping to build climate resilience for both rural and urban communities. As extreme weather events become more frequent, targeted investment is essential to support upland farms in delivering these critical public goods.

By combining sustainable land management with environmental delivery, upland farms can lead
the way in tackling climate change while continuing to produce food and support thriving rural livelihoods. Their contribution to a low-carbon, nature-positive economy must be fully recognised, valued, and supported.