YORKSHIRE Dales farmers could add 10pc to the price of their produce by using the local scenery on the labelling, the manager of Hawes auction mart said.

Maurice Hall told those who attended the FWAG farm walk that market research carried out by the mart showed a "Yorkshire Dales" lamb branding would induce people to pay more for their meat.

The branding would be even more successful with Dales scenery depicted on the label.

"Dales labelling could add up to 10pc," said Mr Hall. "It's not going to make you a fortune but it might keep you in business. The Dales backdrop is a selling point but until now we haven't bothered to use that selling point and we must try to make sure that we do."

Stronger links must also be forged between hill farmers, who traditionally concentrated on store and breeding animals rather than finishing, and finishers, possibly in the lower Dales or the Vale of York.

However, farmers must move quickly to secure the future of the business. "Time isn't on our side, incomes are slipping now," said Mr Hall. "We have heard today that red grouse numbers are stable, black grouse are on the up, but we are losing sheep and cattle and probably the most endangered species of all is the hill farmer."