SOUTH Lakes MP Tim Farron used questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs this morning to ask for more to be done to help upland farmers.

Mr Farron called for funding to be protected for the uplands, so that the domestic food supply can be safeguarded. He asked for the government to provide a decent successor to the Upland Entry Scheme.

"I asked this question because I don't think any farmer should be forced closer to the breadline,” he said. “Although I recognise that there have recently been improvements to dairy prices, these have been swallowed up by increases in the price of fuel and feed, meaning farmers are little better off.

"My question was another step in my campaign to protect hill farmers and to fight for more help and support for them. I want the government to do more to create a national food strategy and to back our hill farmers."

"Our hill farmers are the people who tend and care for our landscape."