JAMES Arbuthnot, MP for the North East Hampshire constituency, visited Stubbs Farm in Binsted last Friday J to discuss with farmers the problems faced by the UK farming industry.

Mr Arbuthnot attended the meeting on the invitation of the National Farmers' Union group secretary Richard Buer, and the meeting was also attended by the owners of Stubbs Farm Robert and Jean Stephens, NFU chairman David Ashcroft, Selborne farmer Tim Butler and local poultry farmer Andrew Mackenzie.

The group discussed the burning issues in the agriculture industry over a full English breakfast, with the main theme of conversation being government policy controlling the farming industry.

Mr Mackenzie discussed the inequalities of the production here and abroad, saying that food imported from foreign countries is not produced to the high standards imposed by the UK government, and subsequently, the costs of production differ greatly.

He urged shoppers to buy products marked with the British Farm Standard, but also highlighted that 40 per cent of meat is channelled through caterers who buy on price and are not too concerned about methods of production.

Mr Buer raised the problems with the milk industry saying that milk prices are in most cases, less than the cost of production.

He also said that no pig farmers were able to attend the meeting as there were only one or two pig left in the area.

Mr Stephens expressed how important the income from let cottages and holiday cottages is, many of which turned the loss on the farming side into a small profit over the past year for farmers who offer such facilities. This was reinforced by Mr Butler who farms 1,200 acres in Selborne, but has had to diversify into letting redundant farm buildings and industrial units.

Mr Buer said: "The main reason for these meetings is to keep MPs up to date with what is going on.

"We don't expect this meeting to change the face of agriculture, but it is still important to explain the problems and issues.

"We feel that the Labour Government has no particular will to help agriculture at all, and Mr Arbuthnot recognises that the farming industry is currently in a perilous state.

"Mr Arbuthnot is a member of the opposition however, so it remains to be seen just how effective he can be with his efforts.

"He seemed genuinely sympathetic to our views, and he was very understanding of the issues involved."