Cumbria’s Euro MP Brian Simpson is at the forefront of protecting the much loved and treasured local Herdwick sheep breed.  Working in close cooperation with the NFU, Mr Simpson is pushing in the European Parliament for the recognition of rare breeds of sheep and the vital environmental role they play in the upkeep and management of our landscape.  An intrinsic feature of the Lake District, the Herdwick have been grazing in our area for centuries and are prized for their special features. The Herdwick, unlike “normal” sheep, will not wander off for miles but are renowned for their loyal attachment to their traditional patch of land, thereby making them “ewe”nique to the Lake District and endearing them further to our region. 

“Put very simply, the loss of the Herdwick would have a devastating impact on our landscape, not only making the Lake District physically unrecognisable from its present form, but also taking away a muck loved tourist attraction from the area” said the Labour Euro MP.

 Under the Rural Development Fund, financial support is available for environmentally friendly ways of farming and sustainable rural development. 

 “This is precisely the direction we want the CAP to be going in, supporting farming practices that provide wider public benefits,” said Mr Simpson.

 At the heart of the European Parliament report is the future of the sheep and lamb sector in Europe.

 “Our focus has got to be on making the sheep sector profitable and sustainable in the face of the difficulties currently faced by the sector, but also ensuring that rare breeds like the Herdwick are protected.  I am pushing for the European Commission to investigate the sheep meat supply chain, to ensure that farmers receive a fair return for their products.  What I am hearing all too often is that supermarkets are consistently cutting prices paid to farmers, making it very difficult for the sheep sector to return a decent profit.  We need the consumer to buy local produce and last but not least, we need upland farmers to be able to carry on doing their good work in protecting our Lakeland environment” concluded Mr Simpson.