FEARS that many farming businesses in south Cumbria could be driven out of business follows Government's new agriculture plans announced this week.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron issued a stark warning that Defra's agricultural transition roadmap could see the end of family farming in Britain and wreck much of Britain’s landscape.

On Monday the Government set out major changes to how farmers will be paid under the new Environmental Land Management Scheme with reports that farmers face losing at least half of the money they get from the current Basic Payment Scheme.

Mr Farron said: “Although the new agriculture scheme may be well intentioned, the Conservative’s handling of this could prove fatal for thousands of farmers up and down this country.

“We rightly wouldn’t accept a 50 percent pay cut for our nurses or our teachers – so why on earth should we accept it for our farmers who feed us, maintain our wonderful landscape and help protect our environment?We are told that the plans will provide environmental goods, but if the Government bankrupts our farmers in the process then who will be left to look after the environment?

“We could see the landscape of the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and many other of Britain’s beauty spots destroyed as a result. If this Conservative Government truly is committed to protecting the environment and backing British farming, then they must, must, must think again.”

National Farmers Union (NFU) Cumbrian council delegate, Alistair Mackintosh said it would be 'extremely difficult' for farmers to plan ahead until they knew what the package was. "The farm payment is a vital part of farmers income, for some 80 percent of their income."