A GOVERNMENT initiative aimed at helping the region's hard-pressed hill farmers has come under attack from landowners.

They claim the support plan will only benefit small operations, will discriminate against larger, more efficient farms and could kill off vital conservation work.

And they have accused the Government of not being consistent in that their Hill Farm Allowance scheme does not fit in with the policy to encourage diversification.

The Country Landowners Association says the Ministry of Agriculture's plan to taper support payments amounts to modulation - which would redistribute subsidy in favour of smaller holdings.

Its Yorkshire regional director, Dorothy Fairburn said: "We have long opposed modulation because it distorts markets and could seriously disadvantage some of the county's most efficient and viable farms.

"The industry needs a payment system that is open to all farmers and landowners.

"It is illogical to limit support to sheep and beef suckler cow producers and exclude dairy farmers and those who may have diversified into other types of production."

According to the CLA the proposal would reduce by half payments to farmers with holdings above 350 hectares and remove all payments for holdings above 700 hectares.

"Tapering support could stop crucial conservation work and this would lead to the total decline of upland landscapes and wildlife habitats.

"The bigger the holding, the greater the maintenance of hedges, walls, woodlands and habitats," added Miss Fairburn.

The costs incurred by the smaller farms were no different from those incurred by larger farms.

"Environmental work in the hills is important," said Miss Fairburn, " It has a huge benefit for the expanding tourist industry and there can be no justification for paying a lesser rate to larger farms."