There鈥檚 no doubt that farming is a tough job and for those that farm on the uplands it can be tougher still. The challenges of farming in protected landscapes are considerable, with all kinds of quangos and other interested parties determined to have their say about what you can 鈥� or more often can鈥檛 鈥� do.
Changes to farm support schemes also pose a problem, with the current Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer not taking the needs of uplands farmers into account.
These are some of the issues that will be taken up by the new NFU South and North uplands groups, which are due to take over from the existing national uplands forum later this year.
They will meet quarterly and as and when issues arise, with the North and South chairs sitting on the NFU livestock board, helping to ensure uplands farming feeds into national and regional policy.
Mat Cole, a third generation Dartmoor farmer, is chair of the South group.
Mat farms in partnership with his brother, running the home farm, Greenwell near Yelverton, which is just outside Plymouth, and the Prison Farm at Princetown.