HARD-PRESSED farmers are to suffer swingeing cuts in the subsidies they receive for the slaughter of ageing cattle.

And they are having to travel further afield, in some cases as far as Northumbria, to find abattoirs able to destroy cattle under the Government's 30-month rule.

Farmers have been paid by the Government to dispose of cattle over 30 months since the BSE scare. But the subsidy they receive is to be slashed from next month and farming chiefs have said enough is enough.

Veronica Pitts, North-West policy adviser for the National Farmers' Union, said there was now a backlog of animals waiting to be destroyed.

She said: "The number of abattoirs that can dispose of the animals has been reduced, meaning farmers are facing extra haulage costs in transporting them further afield.

"At the same time, animals that might have fetched up to £800 at market will be worth only £360 from August 4. "The situation is getting worse and our offices are receiving constant inquiries from worried farmers who feel helpless about the situation and are very upset."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has also denounced the "savage" cuts, which he claimed will send some farmers into "financial ruin."

He said: "Once again this Government has proved that it is prepared to attack hard-pressed farmers to gain extra cash to spend on its pet projects.

"Labour has never understood farming and obviously sees the industry as ripe for attacking at a time when it needs Government help."

Mr Evans is calling on MPs who represent farming areas to sign a House of Commons motion attacking the cuts.

"I hope as many as possible will act swiftly to reverse these savage cuts before they send some farmers into financial ruin," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.