Morley gives a boost to N Englands moors

27 October 1998

Morley gives a boost to N England’s moors

By FWi staff

A MAJOR, £4.5 million package aimed at regenerating moorland and boosting jobs in agricultural and shooting enterprises in the north of England was announced today (Tuesday) by junior agriculture minister Elliot Morley.

The project, in Durham and North Yorkshire, aims to enhance the upland moorland landscape and increase financial viability for heather moorland owners and farmers.

It will encourage landowners and farmers to improve sheep housing, fencing and bracken control.

Farmers will also receive money to improve management and flock health schemes under the European Unions Objective 5b programme.

“The concept has always been exciting and challenging and this major initiative will help to ensure the long term sustainability of agricultural and rural business in the Northern Uplands area,” said Mr Morley.

“It gives me great pleasure to support these projects and encourage all those involved to continue to generate new ways of adding value to the products they produce and innovative ways to market them.”

Mr Morley said the project reaffirmed the Governments desire to make rural areas both economically viable and sustainable and better places to live, work and visit.

“I believe that the support available under such schemes as Objective 5b will bring us closer to that goal,” he said.