Government ‘Burying Head In Sand’ Over FMD Compensation
UK - The Government has been accused of ‘burying its head in the sand’, after it turned down a request to provide market support for farmers hit by foot-and-mouth restrictions.
6 November 2007
1 minute read
Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland & Lonsdale, is campaigning for the Government to provide price support for farmers by buying livestock, mainly light lambs, that would otherwise have gone to export.
Scotland and Wales have already introduced light lamb schemes to support farmers who have lost the key outlet for their stock.
But replying to a question tabled by Mr Farron, Junior Rural Affairs Minister Jonathan Shaw made it clear Defra had no intention of following suit. He said the farming industry must take on the full burden of consequential losses caused by the recent turbulence within the market.
Tim Farron, who chairs the All Party Group on Hill Farming, said he was ‘outraged’ by the answer.
“This recent turn of events just shows how little the Government understands about the troubles facing farmers in this country. Far from giving much needed support for farmers, the Government is burying its head in the sand and thinking that the issue will simply go away,” he said.
