Exmoor farmer Robin Milton, chairman of the NFU upland group, says the future of hill farming is ‘finely balanced’ and if the current CAP reform negotiations don’t go the right way, prospects for family farming will be bleak.

Mr Milton, who farms near South Molton in Devon, was speaking after the launch of two new reports that highlight the problems and pressures hill farmers are coping with.

The studies, from the National Farmers Network and Oxfam, looked at the hardships and isolation faced by farming families who are struggling to make a living.

‘Challenges Facing Farmers’, commissioned by Oxfam, revealed that cash flow problems have forced some hill farmers to take drastic action – cutting back on the weekly grocery bill and forgoing basics such as food to slash costs and keep their farms viable.

Mr Milton said: “Sadly, these reports don’t come as much of a surprise to me. They show the great uncertainty that hill farmers now face.

“The combination of squeezed incomes due to the rising cost of livestock feed and rent alongside huge uncertainty over the future targeting of both Single Farm payment and Environmental Stewardship schemes are having a profound impact on farmers’ confidence.

“The future of hill farming and its social and economic structure is very finely balanced and CAP reform will probably determine the future of family farming.

“The NFU is arguing that ministers need to listen more closely to farmers, tenants and graziers when framing the implementation of regulation and payment regimes.

“Productive hill farms protect national assets: iconic landscapes, internationally important wildlife habitats and the majority of the UK’s carbon storage.

“These farmers need respect as they look after the uplands on a daily basis and make sure these iconic landscapes are maintained and accessible to the public.

“It is absolutely vital they are treated fairly and rewarded for their hard work.”