Farmers call for action on crisis

Farmers in Mid Wales are demanding Government action to end the "severe personal hardship" they face after the poor summer and outbreaks of disease.Members of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) in Wales say they are facing huge financial pressures.

This includes weather-hit crops and livestock movement restrictions following the outbreaks of foot and mouth disease and bluetongue.

NFU Cymru members met in Newtown to express their anxiety and anger at what they say has turned into "a disastrous sequence of events for the livestock sector", placing the blame squarely at the Government's door.

Bobby Morgan, of Llanbrynmair, NFU Cymru county chairman, said: "The personal hardship among livestock farmers is severe, and all of this is through no fault of their own. The source of the foot and mouth outbreak is the Government's own laboratory complex at Pirbright.

"The message is clear and simple, the Government has got us into this mess, they must now hold up their hands, accept responsibility and put in place some real measures to help the industry out of this dire situation."

Dai Davies, NFU Cymru president, said: "This is a disastrous scenario, none of which is of our making. Clearly the Government got us into this situation and they have the sole responsibility to get us out of it.

Mr Davies said that the easing of the meat export ban by the Welsh Assembly from October 12 was good news, but they still had a build up of stock for the last two-and-a-half months since exports were banned.