Herefordshire MEP hears concerns of NFU farmers

9.52.26am GMT Wed 22nd Nov 2006

Herefordshire Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne with the NFU delegation in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Voluntary modulation, compensation for animal diseases and 'gold-plating' EU legislation were the issues high on the agenda when a delegation of farmers from Herefordshire's NFU visited county Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne in Brussels.

Speaking after meeting the delegation, Liz said:

"Having spoken to these farmers and heard their concerns, it is clear that there is terrible amount of uncertainty and insecurity amongst the farming community and that the fault lies at the feet of the UK's Labour government.

"Tony Blair's voluntary modulation proposals were never going to work and while I was glad the European Parliament rejected them, it just means there will be more delays for farmers getting money for their agri-environment schemes.

"The delegation were also particularly concerned by the way the UK government is 'gold-plating' perfectly good EU legislation by tagging on a great deal of extra, unnecessary law.

"And all of this is happening against a background of disasters at Defra with system failures and massive delays in payments.

"Listening to these concerns proves that this government has a huge amount of work to do if farmers are to have any confidence in what they say in the future."

Editor's Note

Liz Lynne MEP hosted the visit of the delegation from Herefordshire's NFU to Brussels and the European Parliament. As well as meeting Liz and hearing about how the EU works and how they can influence its decisions, the group also went on a farm tour in Belgium on Monday.