A NATIONAL park head wants some farming to continue as it is.

Andy Wilson, chief executive of the North York Moors National Park, accepted that it would be an unpopular message for national government and policy makers.

"But in some specific circumstances we need to find the funding and means to keep farming going as it is because it has been so very successful in shaping this special landscape," he said.

Mr Wilson was speaking at a meeting organised by the Cleveland branch of Lart - Land Based and Rural Training - which examined the future of farming in the Esk Valley and surrounding areas.

He believed farming had to be exciting and challenging. In the past the goal had been to produce more food. That had been exhilarating and clear - at the moment there was no clear objective.

Some farmers would become more market-orientated; some would diversify while some, he hoped, would continue as they were. Others would adopt a mixture of all three.

The park, as a planning authority, wanted to have an approachable plan which could help people. "We want local policies which are realistic and relate to your needs," said Mr Wilson.

While developments would be permitted it was important that over-development did not take place.

If products were marketed as coming from an area of high environmental quality, and attracted a premium, that status must be kept.

"The park is different, it is special, and if we let it go downhill environmentally it does no good for anyone," said Mr Wilson. "It has to have special qualities and we have to be good lobbyists; we do have routes straight through to ministers and senior civil servants.

"We have to lobby for the right sort of money to keep the farming communities going.

"We are going to look positively to the future and find a way ahead for farming. Farming is a wonderful industry and it needs to continue."