"FARMERS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR GOVERNMENT FAILURE" - FARRON

Local MP, Tim Farron has today tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons protesting against the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' consultation which has looked into the possibility of introducing an animal disease levy.

The levy would see some of the costs of a clear up, like that after the foot and mouth disease outbreak, passed on to the farmers themselves.

Tim Farron said:

"As we saw during the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001, the emotional cost of these outbreaks weighs heavily on the farmers themselves, and I think it is preposterous that the Government would want to burden them further.

"The idea of an animal disease levy is shocking, and is yet another example of this Government failing to take into account the needs of rural areas."