DAIRY farmers in the North West are concerned about the future of their businesses following the Government's announcement regarding the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), farming union chiefs have claimed.

The announcement that payments from the Government, which compensate milk producers for the future reduction in milk price, will now be incorporated into a single farm payment.

This payment will be based on the amount of land they farm.

Now the National Farmers Union (NFU) in the North West has set up a number of regional meetings to look into the implications of the CAP reform in regards to milk producers.

The meetings will help dairy farmers understand what the reform means to them and will give them a better idea of how to restructure their businesses to cope with the changes.

NFU North West's senior food and farming advisor, Adam Briggs, said: "The changes to the Common Agricultural Policy have been a cause of concern to the more intensive dairy farmer and also those producing milk in severely disadvantaged areas."