WINSFORD and Middlewich farmers and their families marched through the streets of Blackpool at the start of the Labour Party conference.

The purpose of the march was to highlight the depths of the economic depression into which their industry has sunk.

Farmers from across the UK took part in the rally at Blackpool promenade and past the Labour Party conference venue, the Winter Gardens, in a bid to draw their plight to the attention of the Government.

Agriculture minister Nick Brown accepted an invitation from the NFU to address the rally.

The leader of the march, NFU president Ben Gill, said: "We aimed to impress upon the Government the desperate state of the industry and the need for farming to be placed higher on the Government's priority list.

"Every type of farmer is in this dire situation together. Our rally made it clear to the Government that there are very real steps which can be taken to stem the flow of life from our industry."

According to the NFU, the economic facts about the depression facing farmers are stark:

Farm incomes continue to plunge - last year farm incomes were almost cut in half and this year they are expected to fall by another two thirds.

Farmgate prices are at rock bottom - beef, milk and chicken prices have decreased by 35%, 22% and 23% respectively.

Production costs increasingly outweigh farmers' returns - the value of many types of food is now so low that it will hardly cover the cost of production.

To alleviate the problems, farmers are calling on the Government to:

Take action to lower interest rates and encourage a drop in the strength of Sterling.

Apply for agronomy aid which is available from the EU.

Pay support payments across the industry as soon as possible.

Put even more pressure on Europe for the lifting of the beef export ban.

Back British products and encourage the public to do so.

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