Brown to grant financial aid to farmers?

25 September 1998

Brown to grant financial aid to farmers?

By FWi staff

AGRICULTURE Minister Nick Brown could reveal financial help for livestock producers when he addresses a farmers rally at the start of the Labour Party Conference this weekend.

Mr Brown acknowledged yesterday (24 September) that there was room for him to do something helpful to alleviate the pressure faced by many UK livestock producers.

During a visit to the farm of NFU President Ben Gill, Mr Brown said he was discussing with farm leaders what sort of aid would be appropriate.

The NFU has made clear its worries that the end of the Governments Calf Processing Aid Scheme in November could spell disaster for many of the countrys dairy farmers.

The scheme, introduced when the beef market collapsed in the wake of the BSE crisis, guarantees a price of about £80 for each bull calf. Without it, many farmers fear the price could fall to less than £5 a calf.

MAFF is understood to be considering re-directing the money spent on the calf scheme into other areas of the dairy and beef sectors.

It is also thought that MAFF is considering an increase in Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance payments made to hill farmers.

Thousands of farmers are expected to march past the Winter Gardens in Blackpool at the start of the Labour conference this Sunday.