Upland farms suffering from payment changes - NFU

Some farmers said they were struggling to make ends meet following a reduction in support payments

Some farm businesses are unable to make up for the loss of income after a reduction in subsidies, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has warned.

Changes to payments since the UK left the European Union has seen support for some farms fall by as much as 50%, farmers have said.

A Northumberland farm said it had had to diversify after losing almost half of its income support.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it was "committed" to supporting farmers to become more productive and profitable.

David Stanners is a tenant farmer from Ridsdale in Northumberland

When the UK was in the EU, upland tenant farmers like David and Annabel Stanners from Ridsdale in Northumberland received Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) support.

That was replaced by environmental land management schemes (Elms), offering farms an increase in payment rates if they produced food more sustainably and implemented environmental protection schemes.

But some types of farms have been left behind, the NFU said.

Mr and Mrs Stanners said they saw a 49% downturn in support income, which was about a third of their overall income.

The first generation farmers said they felt forced to diversify the means of income on their farm, such as introducing holiday accommodation in an old railway carriage, to support themselves and their two children.

Mr and Mrs Stanners spent £100,000 transforming a railway carriage into holiday accommodation

"I feel cross actually and upset by it all," Mrs Stanners said, adding: "We work hard, we've worked hard to achieve what we've got here."

Annabel Stanners said the changes had not been a positive thing for them

NFU North policy adviser Adam Briggs said the changes to support payments were having a "huge impact".

He said Elms did not properly recognise the work upland farms do for rural communities, including managing National Parks and producing climate-friendly food.

"You can't live off fresh air," Mr Briggs said.

Defra said it was "committed" to maintaining the £2.4bn annual farming budget which would support farmers to become more productive and profitable.

“Our new schemes offer something for every type of farm," a Defra spokesperson said.