Extra pay for moors farmers? (From Gazette & Herald)

Extra pay for moors farmers?

THE North York Moors National Park may pay farmers to help maintain the dwindling flocks of sheep on the moors.

Members of park authority will be told next week that the flocks are an essential part of the traditional management of the moorland as well as contributing to the local economy and culture of the region.

However, says Michael Graham, the park's estate and moorland officer, there has been a long term decline in the number of flocks in recent years. "This has now reached a critical point where the stocking density on some moors in the park is very low and sheep are able to range over such wide areas that work needed to shepherd and gather flocks effectively has made them uneconomic."

In a report to the authority Mr Graham says the crisis has been aggravated by the loss of nine flocks last year due to foot and mouth disease and they have not yet been replaced. "In addition," he said, "the demand for breeding sheep to replace those lost elsewhere in the country has increased the incentive to sell, particularly where retirement is in sight for the farmers. This has led to dispersal or reduction in stock numbers of several flocks."

Now the authority is producing a scheme that would allocate £20,000 to help with the costs of shepherding moorland flocks.

Mr Graham said a farmer will be eligible to take part in the scheme if there has been a significant increase in labour hours needed to gather the moor flocks or an increase in the area of ground grazed by the sheep as a result of a change in moor management. "It will be up to each farmer to explain the changes that have occurred and the need for assistance."

Payments would be made at a single rate per hectare based on any extra work as a result of low stock density, said Mr Graham. The scheme will offer a payment of 80pc of the net cost of shepherding the moor and it will be run by the National Park and English Nature.

"The scheme will contribute directly towards ensuring the sustainable continuation of moorland grazing by flocks of sheep to benefit the environment," said Mr Graham.

Updated: 11:26 Wednesday, December 04, 2002