Minster holds meeting to help the finances of farmers
Major banks and farming charities are holding a meeting at a landmark summit called by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson.
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Lincolnshire farmers 'in crisis'
A charity which supports farmers in crisis, says it's helped at least five who've been close to taking their own lives.
The Lincolnshire Rural Support Network says it's seen a 20% increase in cries for help over the last two years and is expecting an increase in calls after the recent bad weather.
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Lincolnshire farmers expect a bad harvest
David Armstrong, a farmer from Bardsey in Lincolnshire, says some farmers are expecting bad harvests as a result of the recent weather
Farmers' support charity handing out leaflets
Charity offers health checks because farmers "notoriously bad" at visiting doctors
Heather Dawes - a nurse who works for the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network - says farmers are notoriously bad for not going to the doctors because of their busy lifestyles.
Because of this she offers health screening as part of the charity's work.
The charity says there has been a 20 per cent increase in farmers contacting the charity - some threatening to take their lives.
Charity says farmers are threatening to commit suicide over industry decline
A support charity for farmers in Lincolnshire says its recently helped at least five depressed farmers who were so down they were threatening to take their own lives.
The Lincolnshire Rural Support network in Louth says its seen a 20 percent year on year increase in farmers contacting it over the last two years. The charity is expecting more calls at the end of the summer as a result of the bad weather and the threat of diseases like bovine TB.
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Tesco vows to source meat from Britain
Tesco today announced it would be sourcing more meat from UK producers, as supermarkets came under pressure to sell more British food in the wake of the horsemeat scandal.
The supermarket giant's chief executive Philip Clarke told the National Farmers' Union annual conference:
– Philip ClarkeWhere it is reasonable to do so, we will source from British producers.
As a first step I announce that from July all of our fresh chicken must come from UK farmers. No exceptions.
And we will move over time to make sure all our chicken in all our products, fresh or frozen, is from the British Isles.
Environment Secretary: "This criminal activity should be stopped"
Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson MP, has said that buying something labelled beef which ends up being horse meat is "fraud".
Speaking at the NFU conference in Birmingham, where one thousand farmers have gathered, he also told listeners "we must ensure the British public have confidence in the industry and what they're eating".
1,000 farmers attend NFU conference in Birmingham
1,000 farmers have gathered at the NFU conference in Birmingham to discuss what has been described as "a diabolical year".
Farmers across the region have been facing a whole number of problems - drought, floods, tuberculosis, HS2 running through their farms and the horse meat scandal.
They've heard how more food will have to be produced in England instead of being imported from other countries, because our population could increase by the equivalent size of "four Birmingham's" in the next eight years.
Farmers from across the Midlands have been talking to ITV News Central.
NFU: Consumers want more British meat
More than three-quarters of consumers wants supermarkets to stock more food from British farms, according to a National Farmers' Union survey:
- 78% said supermarkets should sell more food from British farms
- 43% said they were more likely to buy traceable food from farms in Britain following the horsemeat scandal
A thousand people were polled by the union.
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