Crisis is biting hard, warns charity
6 June 2000
Crisis is biting hard, warns charity
by FWi staff
THERE is little sign that the crisis in agriculture is lifting, a leading charity dedicated to helping members of the farming community has warned.
More farmers and farm workers are turning to the Royal Agriculture Benevolent Institution (RABI) after falling on hard times.
The 140-year-old charity was set up to help farmers suffering hardship. Its extended its remit last year to include farm workers and their families.
More than 1500 people received almost 1.3m from RABI over the past 12 months, according to its latest annual report released on Tuesday (6 June).
Lord Plumb, RABI president, told the AGM: We have a responsibility to help those in need and to help create , if we can, a better situation for the future.
John Wallis, RABI chairman, said that there was little light at the end of the tunnel, especially for livestock producers, dairy farmers and tenants.
A recent survey by the National Farmers Union found that 51% of tenant farmers were having difficulty finding enough money to pay their rent.
About 60% of tenants feared losing everything if the situation in farming failed to improve. Business worries kept 70% of tenants awake at night.
Doctors were prescribing 10% of tenant farmers with anti-depressants to help them cop with what has been described as the worst farming crisis in 70 years.
The situation is particularly bad in the south-west of England and south-west Wales the areas where RABI granted most of its financial help during 1999.
These are areas where the great diversification the Prime Minister has asked for is not that easy, Mr Wallis told the charitys AGM in London.
A special telephone helpline , established in 1998 as a direct response to the farming crisis, gave advice to 472 farming families last year.