Euro MP visits East Riding farm to hear of harvest troubles

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 8th Sep 2004

Diana Wallis MEP talking to local farmer David Wilmott Smith

Liberal Democrat Euro MP Diana Wallis visited an East Riding farm on Tuesday to see at first hand the difficulties farmers have had with this year's harvest.

Diana Wallis MEP visited the farm (Gunby Hall) near Bubwith at the invitation of the local National Farmers Union who are concerned that this year's poor weather will have a real impact on the quality of the harvest.

After the meeting, Diana Wallis said:

"I am grateful to hear at first hand the problems local farmers face after this terrible summer. I hope that the Government is able to offer some regional assistance to badly hit farmers. I support the NFU's calls to bring forward Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS) cheques for 2004. This will hopefully go some way to assist cash flows on farm following this year's difficult harvest. I understand similar action was taken in France and Germany last year following adverse weather on the continent."