Upland farmers are being 'crippled from all angles', with the NFU and charities calling for the government to treat them more fairly in the post-Brexit agricultural transition.
The organisations, which include the NFU, National Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, are calling for action to fix the 'unfair' Higher Level Stewardship (HLS).
They warn that many hill and upland farmers have been 'left behind' in the transition to the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs).
The groups, which also includes the charity Countryside Link, have come together to highlight their concerns in a letter to the Defra Secretary on behalf of farmers in HLS.
They note that many of these farming businesses are often the custodians of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Protected Landscapes.
However, the groups warn that these farms have seen their incomes slashed, and some are unable to convert their current agreements to ELMs.
Their letter asks Defra to offer an uplift to HLS agreement rates to properly reward environmental protection, backdated to 1 January 2025.
Government should also implement a HLS pathway that enables those who want to join ELMs agreements to do so by January 2027.
And they say that ministers should meet to discuss concerns and how to deliver a platform for a profitable, productive and sustainable farming industry.
Speaking about the issue, NFU President Tom Bradshaw called for hill and upland farmers, many of whom are the early adopters of HLS, to be treated fairly for the work they do.
He warned: "Their incomes have been slashed, many haven’t seen an increase to HLS payment levels for decades and they’re stuck in agreements, unable to convert to ELMs.
"At the same time these businesses have been exposed to the same market and weather volatility experienced across the industry and face the threat of inheritance tax changes. They’re being crippled from all angles."
Mr Bradshaw added that it was vital for Defra to deliver an uplift to HLS payments and introduce a successful pathway for conversion.
"Without this, the country’s most cherished landscapes will look unrecognisable," he warned.
