Less Favoured Areas (LFA) and Moorland Lines Layer

The Less Favoured Areas (LFA) and Moorland Lines dataset is presented as a joint of two datasets which have been merged into one: Less Favoured Areas and Moorland Line. Both datasets are statutory Instruments and together they provide different classifications of land in England based on the difficulty of farming.

Less Favoured Areas are a transposed European Commission designation which provides special measures to assist farming in the areas designated. The Less Favoured Areas consist of Severely Disadvantaged and Disadvantaged Areas. They are (mainly upland) areas where the natural characteristics (geology, altitude, climate, etc.) make economic competition difficult. In place since 1975, it is a long standing measure of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The Moorland Line is a further designation of land within the LFA, and it is also used under domestic legislation to better target support for the uplands. The Moorland Line encloses land within England which has been defined as predominantly semi-natural upland vegetation, or predominantly of rock outcrops and semi-natural vegetation, used primarily for rough grazing. It was drawn up in 1992 to assist the development, implementation and evaluation of policy in the English Uplands. The moorland line encloses some 42% of LFA land.

The 5 regions in the Less Favoured Areas and Moorland Lines dataset are classified as: • N: Land outside Severely Disadvantaged Area (lowland) • S: Land within Severely Disadvantaged Area (upland) • D: Land within Disadvantaged Area • MS: Moorland within a Severely Disadvantaged Area • MD: Moorland within Disadvantaged Area