A RURAL MP has spoken of his outrage after farms were told that they had to meet the cost of dealing with animal diseases such as foot and mouth.

Nigel Evans, MP for the Ribble Valley, spoke after the Government asked for an extra £40 million a year to offset the costs of the outbreak, along with tose of bluetongue and bird flu.

Mr Evans said: "This is simply unbelievable. I had hoped that this Government was beginning to realise the plight of many farmers but they could not have got this decision more wrong.

"How on earth they can justify this blanket levy when the latest outbreak of foot and mouth stemmed from a Government research laboratory is anybody's guess. To charge people in any walk of life when there has been no wrongdoing on their part is reprehensible.

"We are talking about an industry which is struggling because it costs more to make many of their products than they are being sold for. At a time when the Government should be supporting British farmers, they are pushing them closer to the brink.

"Farmers have every right to be angry at these extra costs. At a time when the Government should be offering them an umbrella, all they are doing is pouring water on farmers' hopes of survival."