NATIONAL Trust tenant farmers have accused the organisation of profiteering by pushing up rents to “untenable levels” in some cases. But the charity has reacted angrily and said it wants to work with farmers to preserve the countryside for future generations.

Arable farmers Mason and Sally Palmer, who have run a 303-hectare (750-acre) farm in East Sussex since 1998, said they were faced with a rent demand triple the £37,000 they had been paying.

Tenant Farmers’ Association (TFA) chief executive George Dunn said the couple’s agent had been instructed to ask for the market rent, but that this took no account of the substantial environmental contribution the farmers had made.

After two years of negotiations, the trust proposed a rent of £85,000, which could be dropped to £50,000 if the family could take on further environmental obligations.

Mr Palmer fears he still may have to quit his business.

One farmer, who did not want to be named, said he felt he was increasingly being asked to farm with his hands tied behind his back. He said: “The running of the organisation has got very commercial and looking after the countryside seems to be more important than farming on it.

“They forced our rent up this year, but not as high as they originally wanted to. It is commercial greed.”

Mr Dunn said: “These cases have become all too common, with more and more landlord/tenant relationships turning sour at review time.

“Problems usually arise when the trust uses external agents to conduct rent reviews. The National Trust has a ‘going local’ agenda for the management of its estates which means, while many local estates are run to a high standard, there are some where the TFA has concerns the calibre of the management is below par.

“It is also important for farm tenants to properly understand the ethos and objectives of the National Trust in owning the farm they are renting.”

National Trust rural enterprises director Patrick Begg said it was “unfair” to accuse the trust of profiteering. He said: “Rent is never going to be an easy topic, which is why our approach is to establish the market rate, then take full account of the value of the conservation and public access outcomes that can be delivered in partnership with the tenant.

“After that discussion, we can agree a final figure.”

Mr Begg said there was a wider context about what the trust sets as its agenda for land management: “The health, natural and cultural richness of the landscape, its beauty and also its accessibility to people represent our top priorities.

“These are fundamental to our core charitable purpose.

We also absolutely want the land to be productive and to work with our tenant farmers to manage the land appropriately, but in ways that ensure we can pass on a healthy and naturally resilient countryside to our children.”