At a meeting held at the Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes, on Saturday 27th November 2004 The Federation of Yorkshire Commons and Moorland Graziers was officially inaugurated.

Yorkshire contains just over 20% of the common land in England. Cumbria, represented by the Cumbria Federation of Commoners, accounts for another 30% and negotiations are ongoing to affiliate Lancashire with Cumbria.

Herbert Tindall, the Yorkshire Chairman, makes it plain that at last the Commoners and Moorland graziers of the North of England have a united voice (comfortably over 50% of the English Commons) that should enable them to negotiate with, and even advise Government, from a position of strength.