Cumbria is set to be included in a new national Uplands Transformation project following months of joint work by Josh MacAlister MP and the county’s other Labour MPs with ministers and leading experts, alongside a wider package of measures to support farmers and rural communities.
The project, following work led by social entrepreneur Dr Hilary Cottam for the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, will trial a new network-based approach to supporting upland communities. After initial work on Dartmoor, it will expand into Cumbria later this year, recognising the unique challenges facing upland farming and the rural communities that depend on it.
The announcement follows sustained engagement by Cumbria’s Labour MPs – Josh MacAlister, Julie Minns, and Michelle Scrogham – working with ministers to ensure Cumbria’s voice is heard and the county is included as the programme develops.
The Uplands Transformation project builds on feedback from farmers and upland communities over the past year. Dr Cottam was hosted by MPs in Cumbria last summer and met with farmers, agriculture businesses and nature and environmental charities to discuss the potential of Cumbria’s inclusion in the project. Over the next two years, it will focus on delivering practical, system-wide, change that will be led by local people who understand best how to solve the problems they are facing. The project will provide support to grassroots initiatives creating stronger farming clusters, exploring new mutual funding models, and laying the foundations for additional income streams, from nature-based enterprises to regenerative tourism and circular economy initiatives.
Alongside the uplands work, the government has announced a wider package of measures for farmers, including:
- Reforms to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) to cut complexity and prioritise smaller farms
- A three-year extension to the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, with £30 million next year alone
- A new £30 million investment to support farmer-led advice, collaboration and peer-to-peer learning
Josh MacAlister MP said:
“Farming in Cumbria is different – tougher land, harsher conditions, longer distances and communities that depend on farming not just for food, but for the fabric of rural life. For too long, national schemes haven’t reflected that reality.
“That’s why I’ve been working closely, alongside my Cumbrian Labour colleagues, with ministers and Dr Hilary Cottam to make sure Cumbria is included in this uplands work. This is about listening to farmers, backing local networks, and building practical solutions that work on the ground – not imposing one-size-fits-all answers from Whitehall.
“These announcements are a step towards giving farmers more certainty, less bureaucracy, and support that recognises the vital role they play in our landscapes, our food system and our rural economy.”
Further details on the Sustainable Farming Incentive will be published ahead of the next application window which opens in June, and work on the Uplands Transformation project will continue to develop with local MPs and communities fully involved.
Local farmers are invited to attend Josh’s next Farmers’ Forum at 6pm on Friday 30th January in Whitehaven to find out more. Register at joshmacalister.uk/meetjosh
Josh MacAlister MP 