Originally from: David
                        
Hill farmers suffer wage hardship Source: FWi 21 January 2004

By Farmers Weekly staff

PEAK District hill farmers are among the most deprived in the country, earning just £7,482 per year and working on average 58 hours a week, according to a new report.

This annual income includes government subsidies, without which these farmers would be in debt of about £2,300 per year.

They earn about £2.50 an hour, which is almost £2 below the legal minimum hourly wage level.

The report, Hard Times, commissioned by the Peak District Rural Deprivation Forum and funded by Oxfam, looked at income levels among hill farmers in the Peak District and the impact of government policy on the quality of life of farming families.

The report also found that their farm incomes have dropped by 75% over the last 10 years.

Their income in 2002 was only a quarter of what it was in 1992.

PDRDF spokesperson Carol Evans said: "It's shameful that many of Derbyshire's food producers are living on the breadline – earning far less than the legal minimum wage."

"A myth still persists that all farmers are rich and greedy. This report makes clear that nothing could be further from the truth."
 
Ms Evans said that Britain's lowest paid workers in cleaning, catering and security jobs can all earn significantly more than the Peak District's poorest farmers.

\x{201C}Many farmers can't afford to hire casual labourers to help on their farm so are working long hours for very little pay."

Ms Evans added: "If hill farming dies out in this country who will be there to manage the landscape for us all to enjoy? The pleasant Sunday walk in the country could become a thing of the past."

"Peak District farmers want to keep farming but hardship and poverty is forcing them to give up their jobs and sell their land."