THE future of a national park’s environment looks green and its economy bright following Brexit and radical changes to farming, it has been claimed.

As the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority announced it had applied to double a pioneering scheme in which Wensleydale farmers are paid for work such as habitat improvement, members said the Government’s emerging post-Brexit ideas for farming and the environment were like a breath of fresh air.

A full meeting of the authority heard the Wensleydale scheme – which  has seen 19 farmers paid by results to produce ‘public goods’, such as species-rich meadows – could be replicated nationwide after receiving praise from ministers.

Members were told after Brexit the Government intended to revolutionise farming, which remains critical to the economy of the national park, with 2,700 people directly employed in agriculture, but many upland sheep farms were operating at a loss.

In a government paper titled Health And Harmony: The Future For Food, Farming And The Environment, presented to members, it stated that after leaving the EU, the Government intended to incentivise methods of farming that increase biodiversity, reduce flood risk, mitigate climate change and create new habitats.

Langstrothdale hill farmer Chris Clark told the meeting the government was setting out to “change the purpose of hill farmers”, from producing food to intangible environmental services.

However, members praised Environment Secretary Michael Gove, saying he had identified a way of boosting the national park’s economy while also improving the environment.

Ian McPherson, the authority’s Member Champion for the Natural Environment, said: “I am amazed that things have changed so quickly. The fact that government reports use words such as beautiful, health and harmony is a very big move forward.

“I am really very excited about what the future may bring, not only across the board, but also in respect to upland farming and land management. This might change entirely the way we think about farming and managing the land. I am totally delighted with this report.”

In its submission to Defra to extend the payment by results pilot scheme, the authority said there was an “outstanding opportunity” to support upland farm businesses and significantly enhance the environment by extending the pilot by up to three years and increasing the number of farms involved to 40.

The authority’s chairman Carl Lis said:  “We think this approach could provide the starting template for the future of upland farm support after Britain leaves the EU – but it needs to be tested further now.”