Protesting farmers brave live ammo

9 February 2001



Protesting farmers brave live ammo

By Jeremy Hunt

CUMBRIAN hill farmers are prepared to risk their lives by going on to moorland grazings during live ammunition operations by the Ministry of Defence.

The protest by 68 farmers is to highlight the impact of the MoD decision to compulsory purchase 4450ha (11,000 acres) of hill land near Appleby.

The move will, in effect, wipe out the entire sheep flocks of several of the farmers, claim protesters.

The MoD is proposing to acquire the common rights on three commons at Warcop, Hilton and Murton, which carry grazing rights for 13,700 sheep.

Some individual farmers will lose as many as 2500 grazing rights, their entire sheep stock.

The commoners, who had licence agreements with the MoD until December 2000, have always abided by their agreements.

This only allowed them access to fell land on Mondays, leaving the rest of the week for live ammunition operations.

Now the farmers involved say the MoD has refused to discuss the issue of compensation since the agreements lapsed last December.

The MoD has opted for a public inquiry planned for April.

Land agent Will Bashall of Penrith Farmers and Kidds, acting for the commoners, says there must be “fair and reasonable” compensation if the commons rights are lost.

“There are huge financial implications for these farmers. A compulsory purchase order would drive thousands of sheep off the moorland.

“Many farmers would be forced to take lowland grazing well away from their farms and replace hill ewes with more expensive lowland ewes.”