Concern over future of farming after evictions

Robert Martin said the TFA was working to find a solution

Concerns about the future of farming in a county have been raised after notices to quit were issued to farmers on an estate.

About 65 tenant farmers in Cumbria received letters giving them notice to quit last month.

The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) is now working with the estate landlord to find a solution.

Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said changes to payments following Brexit were making it difficult for farmers to run viable businesses.

Tax relief

The farmers who received the notices are those with short-term tenancies and grazing licences.

The notices were issued due to tax reasons.

Due to rules around inheritance tax liabilities for agricultural land, the landlords need to ensure that trading activity is increased, to qualify for tax relief.

But critics said there should have been engagement with tenants before notices were issued.

Some notices were from the Viscount Lowther Trust following the death of the eighth Earl of Lonsdale.

However, those involved said the land was not being taken back.

The current earl has said he wants to do everything to find a way forward for all parties, according to Robert Martin, chairman of the TFA.

"I think if the landlord is able to come to a satisfactory agreement that works both for the tenant and the landowner - the tenant keeps his house, he keeps his business - then I think that would be a win-win for both parties," he said.

'Exposed and vulnerable'

But Mr Farron raised concerns that the new systems introduced to support farmers and replace the EU payments after Brexit were leaving farmers vulnerable.

Roughly half of farmers in Cumbria were tenant farmers, said Mr Farron.

As the government moved away from the old farm payment scheme to the new, tenant farmers were "exposed and vulnerable" because agreements they may have had for "some time" were coming to an end, he said.

"And therefore there is the opportunity for landlords who wish to exploit tenants, to remove tenants, or indeed those who perhaps don't consult with tenants, to do so."

He added he was concerned about the impact of the changes on food supply.

The government said it would appoint a Tenant Farming Commissioner in the autumn to help to resolve any problems.

It said it had also removed barriers to tenant farmers entering its Environmental Land Management schemes.