EU breakthrough to see farmers finally get financial help

The break in the impasse has allowed the UK Government to announce its intentions for co-financing the Rural Development Programme to a 'significant extent'.

The announcement by Defra Minister David Miliband paves the way for the UK Government to decide on the actual extent of co-financing and to put an end to the delays in new rural development programmes in the UK.

However, despite the progress this decision represents, the NFU continues to be concerned that British farmers will be expected to pay a higher rate of national modulation than their EU counterparts.

NFU President, Peter Kendall, (pictured) said: "While we recognise the progress that this agreement and Government's indication to substantially co-finance represent, there is no escaping the fact that farmers in England have to pay so much more towards countryside management and rural development than farmers in other parts of Europe.

"This is cause for on-going concern and the NFU is calling for uniform European modulation rates to be restored as soon as possible. We want to see next year's CAP Health Check address this issue."

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