Agrimoney quest wins cross-party backing in House
Agrimoney quest wins cross-party backing in House
By Isabel Davies
MORE than 130 MPs from both sides of the House of Commons have backed motions calling for the government to pay an estimated £72m of agrimoney compensation to British livestock farmers.
Three motions, one tabled by shadow DEFRA secretary Peter Ainsworth and two by Labour MP Jackie Lawrence (Preseli, Pembrokeshire), have attracted a total of 134 signatures – one-fifth of all MPs .
The motion from Mr Ainsworth, signed by 101 MPs within just two days, urges the government not to "let slip this opportunity to help the countrys beleaguered farmers".
The motions from Mrs Lawrence suggest the continuing decline in milk prices "will not ensure a viable, sustainable industry" and note that latest figures show that beef and sheep farmers incomes continue to fall.
It is estimated the UK government could claim £25.4m for beef farmers, £9m for sheep producers and £37.8m for dairy producers. The money is designed to compensate farmers for losses caused as a result of the strength of sterling.
The government confirmed on Wednesday (May 1) that the European Commission had agreed to extend the official deadline of Apr 30, by which a claim should have been made.
A spokesman reported that the commission said an application should be made "as soon as possible" but there was no indication of when that might be.
"We are still considering it and no decision has yet been made," he said.
In a letter sent to junior DEFRA minister Lord Whitty on Tuesday (Apr 30), NFU president Ben Gill said the critical state of incomes in the livestock sector meant there was an urgent need for the money to be claimed.
"The money will in no way compensate for the financial disadvantage suffered from sterlings over-valuation but it will be seen by many farmers as the desperately needed morale boost they have been looking for.
"The government must demonstrate to farmers that it is not prepared to see UK agriculture disadvantaged in Europe and is doing everything it can to help it on the road to recovery," he said. *
Udder disgrace… Welsh dairy farmers took milk to the doorstep of DEFRAs head office in London to highlight the need for what they believed was £51m of agrimoney compensation on offer.