Agriculture is the overwhelmingly dominant land use in the AONB.  Farming is critically important to the conservation of the AONB's landscape and wildlife.  84% of farmland in the AONB is designated as LFA (Less Favoured Area) by the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs and the European Commission.  This means that most of the AONB's farmers own or manage land whose productivity is limited, often severely, by physical factors such as soil, relief, climate and drainage. 

Livestock rearing is the principle farming system, with over 94% of farmland devoted to improved grassland in the valley bottoms and rough grazing on the slopes.

Over one third of the jobs in the AONB (36%) are in the farming sector, primarily linked to running dairy herds and grazing stock.  The Agricultural Census of 1993 shows that three quarters (530) of the holdings recorded are less than 500 hectares in size and nearly 70% have a labour requirement of less than 500 standard man days (i.e. two workers).   50% of holdings were classified as part-time (in 1993). More than half of the 44,955 hectares (111,040 acres) of farmland is rented.

A report by MAFF in 1995 estimates that over 280 holdings, or 40% of farms in the AONB have already engaged in some form of diversification. There are many barriers to diversification in the AONB. However, farm based tourism, especially accommodation, is one of the major income generating opportunities in the AONB.

There is free advice available from the AONB Farm Conservation Advisor on how to access grant schemes including the Higher Level Scheme. For more information on these schemes please click here.