27th May 2026
Farming plays a vital role in the life of Cumbria and its rural communities. Beyond producing food, farmers help shape the landscape, support local economies, protect cultural heritage and contribute significantly to environmental management.
Across Cumbria, farming businesses are responsible for maintaining much of the county’s iconic landscape. The distinctive character of the Lake District, Eden Valley, Solway Plain and many other rural areas has been shaped over generations by farming families whose work helps maintain stone walls, hedgerows, grazing land and traditional field patterns.
Agriculture also remains a significant contributor to the rural economy. Farms support employment directly through farming businesses and indirectly through a wide range of associated sectors including machinery suppliers, feed merchants, veterinary services, contractors, transport companies, food processors and tourism businesses.
The relationship between farming and tourism is particularly important in Cumbria. Millions of visitors are attracted each year by the county’s landscapes, many of which have been shaped and maintained through centuries of agricultural activity. Farming therefore plays an important role not only in food production but also in sustaining the visitor economy.
Farmers are increasingly involved in environmental stewardship, biodiversity enhancement, flood management and carbon reduction initiatives. Many land managers are balancing food production with actions designed to improve habitats, protect water quality and strengthen climate resilience.
However, the farming sector faces significant challenges. Rising costs, changing agricultural support schemes, labour shortages, extreme weather events and market uncertainty continue to place pressure on many farm businesses. These challenges can have wider impacts on rural communities, local services and the resilience of the countryside economy.
ACT recognises the importance of farming to thriving rural communities and works alongside partners to support community resilience, economic development and rural sustainability. Understanding the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture is essential if rural areas are to remain vibrant places to live and work.
By supporting farming and rural businesses, communities can help maintain local food production, protect valued landscapes and strengthen the social and economic fabric of rural Cumbria.
As discussions continue around the future of agriculture, it is important that the voices of farmers and rural communities are heard and reflected in future policy decisions. Farming matters not only because it produces food, but because it underpins so much of what makes rural Cumbria special.
