FARMERS who have had livestock culled during the foot and mouth crisis attacked the re-stocking "shambles" which is threatening their livelihoods.

And they observed a minute's silence for David Beckerton, a farmer caught up in the crisis who died suddenly on Leewarden Farm, Gisburn, on Friday, August 10.

About 100 farmers told officials from the Department of Environment Farming and Rural Affairs that culling was "just the tip of the iceberg" at a meeting at The Stirk House Hotel, Gisburn, yesterday.

The meeting 'Following on from Foot and Mouth' was arranged to offer advice to farmers on restocking and business strategies, but many farmers attending wanted to discuss the government's handling of the crisis.

An inquest has been opened into the death of Mr Beckerton, 50, whose farm was the only one in his area not to have animals culled but who could not move his animals because of a government D notice. Police are treating it as a suspected suicide.

Andrew Bristol lost 146 pedigree Holstein cows and 100 pedigree sheep when the animals on his farm at West Bradford were slaughtered in June.

Since then he has received the compensation payments, but is still waiting to restock. He said: "How can we plan to restock when we don't know what we are doing, and DEFRA don't know what they are doing? It has been a shambles. The money we have received is not compensation, it is compulsory purchase. We had our animals taken away."

During a question and answer session, DEFRA representatives were unable to pin-point exactly when or how farmers could restock. Neil Cumberlidge, regional director for DEFRA, said: "We can't let you know when because every case is different, but we will let you know individually."

Tony Percival, regional manager of the rural development service, which is part of DEFRA, outlined the reason for the meeting. He said: "We are charged with taking the foot and mouth crisis forward.

"This seminar is a conscious move to engage with farmers who have had their animals culled. It is an opportunity for farmers to ask questions about disease matters."

Issues discussed included diversification, where farmers use their payments to leave farming and set up in another sort of business.

Angela Oldfield, has taken over the running of her father's Newsholme Farm, Gisburn. In May government vets destroyed 450 head of cattle. She said: "Fifty years of my father's work , mine and my five children's future was destroyed in 12 hours.

"They want us to diversify, but what can we do?"

"What the government doesn't realise, or doesn't care about is the massive number of people who rely on the farming industry for their jobs."

DEFRA have promised that similar seminars for farmers who have not had their animals culled, but have still suffered during the foot and mouth crisis will be held in the near future.