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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Helena Horton Environment reporter

Defra officials buried analysis showing dire financial prospects for hill farmers

Herdwick shepherd James Rebanks working on his farm at Matterdale End in Cumbria.
The Lib Dems’ Tim Farron said the revelations showed the ‘government know full well their diabolic rollout of new payments has been a disaster for upland farmers’. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

Government officials have buried an analysis of the financial prospects for some of the most vulnerable farmers in the UK after realising it was almost entirely bad news, the Guardian can reveal.

The analysis was to have been part of an optimistic look at the financial situation for upland farmers, some of the poorest in the country, but minutes from meetings about the plans obtained through a freedom of information request have revealed concerns were raised about the negative findings.

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