Retirement offer for F&M outgoers
Retirement offer for F&M outgoers
FARMERS who are considering leaving the industry once the foot-and-mouth crisis is over could be offered an early retirement scheme by the government.
Farm minister, Nick Brown, has held talks with EU farm commissioner, Franz Fischler, about a recovery package to help farming become viable again once the crisis is over. He has pledged that the aid package will be "substantial".
It may well include an early retirement scheme, Mr Brown told MPs at an Agriculture Select Committee hearing at the House of Commons.
An early retirement scheme is available to the government under EU rural development. But Mr Brown has not introduced it so far, partly because the government would be paying money to farmers who would be retiring anyway.
But he told MPs on Wednesday (Mar 21): "I do wonder now if such a scheme may play a part in responding to the specific circumstances now facing us."
A MAFF spokesman said, if introduced, the scheme would try to ensure farmers who leave the industry pass their farms on to the next generation.
Mr Brown told MPs the recovery plan would be tailored to meet the special market circumstances now facing farmers.
He indicated that there may special help for the sheep sector, which has been devastated by the long-term loss of its export market.
At a meeting with Prime Minister, Tony Blair, on Tuesday, NFU president, Ben Gill, said the package would need to run into "many millions of £s".
As well as a retirement package, he called for an increase in the Sheep Annual Premium, private storage aid for pigmeat and money to promote meat.
Environment minister, Michael Meacher, has announced that small businesses in badly-hit rural areas will get relief on business rates and temporary revaluations. He also pledged that the government would match public donations made to rural charities.