Devon MPs react as Dartmoor ponies secure new protections after campaign

Devon MPs have welcomed the Government’s decision to remove Dartmoor’s semi-wild hill ponies from livestock stocking rate calculations under new Environmental Management agreements, while warning that further work is needed to support the future of the moor and its farming communities.

The Government announced on Wednesday, July 15, that Dartmoor ponies will no longer be included in stocking rate calculations under new Environmental Management agreements.

It also confirmed that pony numbers will be monitored across Dartmoor and that a dedicated pony supplement will be introduced within farming schemes.

The changes follow Recommendation 27 of the independent Fursdon Review, which recommended Dartmoor ponies should not be grouped with cattle and sheep when calculating stocking rates.

Following the Government’s announcement, The Moorlander contacted Devon’s MPs for their views on the changes and what they mean for the future of Dartmoor’s semi-wild hill ponies.

Sir Geoffrey Cox, Conservative MP for Torridge and Tavistock, said he was “delighted” that the Government had agreed to adopt Recommendation 27 of the Fursdon Report.

He said: “This will mean we no longer risk their gradual extinction.”

Sir Geoffrey said he had been arguing for the change since 2022, when he helped persuade the then Conservative Government to commission the review.

He added: “I am delighted the advocacy of so many people has achieved this outcome and congratulate the Government on its decision.”

However, he said other challenges facing Dartmoor remained, including wider questions around grazing levels.

Sir Geoffrey said: “There are many other complex and pressing issues Dartmoor faces, including grazing levels, which for the last few years have been annually discussed by farmers with Government ministers and Natural England at the Dartmoor Forum.”

He said the forum had been “invaluable in rebuilding relationships” and urged the new farming minister to meet Dartmoor farmers directly.

Conservative MP Rebecca Smith said she welcomed the decision, saying Dartmoor’s ponies were “an important part of the moor’s landscape and heritage”.

She said: “Farmers should never have been put in a position where they felt they had to choose between keeping ponies and maintaining viable sheep or cattle businesses.”

Ms Smith also welcomed the continued work of the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group and said future decisions should be based on local knowledge and evidence.

However, she said concerns raised by farmers and commoners had not all been resolved.

She added: “Whilst Wednesday’s announcement means ponies will no longer count towards stocking calculations, decisions still have to be made about how many sheep and cattle can graze on different parts of the moor.”

“Those grazing levels are a key part of keeping farms viable, so it is important that future agreements are based on local evidence and agreed with the people who know Dartmoor best.”

Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Luke Pollard said the announcement was “fantastic news” for Dartmoor’s ponies.

He said: “This is fantastic news for Dartmoor ponies, and will protect the population for generations to come.”

Mr Pollard said he had campaigned on the issue alongside Exeter MP Steve Race and the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association.

He added: “I would like to thank everyone that has worked so hard campaigning to save our ponies, and in particular the Government for listening and taking swift action to protect them.”

Plymouth Moor View MP Fred Thomas described the decision as a “welcome and sensible outcome”.

He said: “Ponies should never have been counted alongside sheep and cattle when working out grazing limits, and I'm glad to see that put right.”

Mr Thomas said the decision meant farmers would not be forced to choose between keeping ponies and maintaining viable businesses.

He added: “I’ve heard from a large number of constituents who care deeply about the future of Dartmoor’s ponies, and I’ve been in direct contact with Natural England throughout this process.”

He said the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group’s work on a whole-moor grazing framework would be important for the future of commoning.

Liberal Democrat South Devon MP Caroline Voaden also welcomed the announcement, saying it was positive that ponies would be excluded from stocking density calculations and that owners would have access to a pony supplement within farming schemes.

She said: “We know that ponies graze differently to sheep and can be beneficial to the moor - keeping them there makes sense and should be prioritised.”

Lib Dem MP for Newton Abbot Martin Wrigley said he was pleased DEFRA had intervened to ensure Dartmoor ponies would not be included in stocking rate figures.

He said: “Dartmoor is an important and unique landscape, and must be protected, but that must not be at the expense of native, semi-wild ponies who have lived there for generations.”

He added: “There is still work to do to ensure the future of this distinctive moor, but it is wonderful to see that the Government are willing to understand the special nature of Dartmoor and how much the ponies mean to Devon and across the UK.”

Central Devon MP Sir Mel Stride said: “I am very pleased that after the pressure we have applied common sense has finally prevailed here. Our ponies are essential to Dartmoor.”

The Dartmoor Hill Pony Association also previously welcomed the announcement, describing it as a major step towards protecting the future of Dartmoor’s semi-wild herds.

The association said the changes would support Dartmoor’s biodiversity, farming communities and cultural heritage.