Downing Street to host farm summit on long-term policy
Downing Street to host farm summit on long-term policy
By Isabel Davies
PRIME minister Tony Blair has announced he will hold a farm summit later this month to discuss the long term strategy for agriculture.
Farming leaders will join ministers at a meeting in Downing Street on Mar 30 to discuss the partnership between agriculture and the government.
Farm minister Nick Brown will attend along with his Scottish and Welsh counterparts Ross Finnie and Christine Gywther.
NFU president Ben Gill said: "The Prime Minister told delegates at our conference that he was prepared to sit down with us in a structured way to work out a long term strategy.
"This summit is the vital next step in this process and we welcome it."
But he added it was important the necessity of short term measures to help farmers survive was not underestimated.
"Many in our industry are teetering on the brink. Agrimonetary compensation and compensation for BSE related costs which are weighing down the industry would provide a short-term lifeline to these farmers."
Ulster Farmers Union president Will Taylor agreed.
"The governments plans for a long-term strategy will be looked at constructively but the immediate priority remains to deliver urgent help to beleaguered farmers."
And he warned: "An announcement that a farming summit will he held in Downing Street indicates that government may be realising the extent of problems at farm level but farmers will be expecting action and not simply words".
Colin Breed, agriculture spokesman for the Lib Dems said it was time for Mr Blair to make up his mind whether he would help or not.
"The time has come for the Prime Minister to decide finally if he is going to provide immediate financial support for agriculture.
"Farmers cannot continue to sustain week-in week-out losses, see their assets diminish and their overdrafts and their loans rise relentlessly through the addition of interest.
"If the government is not going to help then Mr Blair must say so now."