The presidents of the four UK farming unions - NFU Scotland, NFU, NFU Cymru and Ulster Farmers Union - met in Brussels yesterday to discuss the steps needed to help the farming sector deal with growing cash-flow difficulties.

According to them, action at both UK and EU levels will be essential, with the unions looking to the banks to take a fresh look at the way in which they deal with farm borrowings. In addition, they stressed that the unacceptable delays in issuing basic scheme payments must be urgently addressed.

While in Brussels, the four farming unions met with senior Commission officials to highlight several key measures to deliver assistance. This comes after ministers at the recent Agriculture Council agreed to put forward proposals on potential solutions to the European Commission ahead of the next Agriculture Council in March. The four union presidents will be lobbying ministers and pressing the Commission to introduce practical measures to support Europe's struggling farmers.

Those measures include pressing the European Investment Bank to speed up its work to refinance farm borrowings, and doing everything possible to ensure that trade with Russia is resumed. The unions also believe that export credits, as proposed by the French government could help reduce the pressure on the European market.

The UK unions also repeated their call for dairy intervention price thresholds to be reviewed. In addition, they called for the removal of fertiliser import tariffs to boost competition in the European fertiliser sector.

Market round-up

C&D Auction Marts ltd sold 4130 prime hoggs in Longtown on Thursday to a top of £112 per head and 273p per kg to average 182.1p (-2.2p on the week).

There were also 3784 cast sheep forward when heavy ewes sold to £166 for a Texel and averaged £82.89 (+67p), while light ewes peaked at £78 for Blackfaces and levelled at £53.37 (-£3.48). Rams sold to £118 for a Texel and averaged £75.82.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 158 store heifers at Ayr on Thursday to a top of £1190 per head and 258.6p per kg to average £884.37 and 207.1p (+6.4p on the fortnight), while 251 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at £1255 and 274.5p to level at £934.16 and 219.1 (+10.5p). Sixty-five store B&W bullocks sold to £935 and 147.6p to average £709.08 and 134.2p.

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd had 269 store cattle forward in St Boswells on Thursday when heifers sold to £1120 and 225.7p to average £932.37 and 201p, while bullocks peaked at £1245 and 282.4p to level at £934 and 215.7p.