Farmers fear they are facing their worst crisis since the Thirties.

Members of the South Downs Society were at a conference to discuss how the Government's new subsidy system is affecting them.

Under the system, the more land farmers look after the more money they get. The old system gave them more money for producing more food.

Shepherd Hugh Passmore, of Applesham Farm, Coombe, Lancing, said the new rules meant he was making a loss on each animal, while under the old system he made a small profit.

He said: "The biggest problem is that the market price is so poor. What we really need is to be paid a fair price for what we produce."

Environmentalists fear the new rules will leave farmers with little incentive to keep livestock, which means there will be fewer animals to graze on the South Downs' ancient chalk grasslands.

With nothing to keep the grass short, scrub will take over which will lead to the loss of a unique habitat containing thousands of species of insects and plants.

More than 90 per cent of the South Downs' chalk grasslands have been lost during the last century as the number of sheep and cows grazing has dropped.

Frank Grantham, of Old Erringham Farm, near Shoreham, said he already had a small cattle herd and expected to make further cuts.

He said: "It will certainly change the way I farm. I might have a few animals left but not many. I won't replace them as I don't have to maintain numbers in the herd to get the subsidy.

"I can already see the scrub taking over from grasslands on one or two parts of the Downs where people have not been grazing their animals and I can see a lot of the Downs being taken out of arable use."

The society is calling on farmers to diversify by opening businesses such as bed and breakfasts or farm shops.

Mr Passmore said: "Farmers of the future will be a new breed of entrepreneurs farming for the benefit of the environment, tuned in to the needs of local markets for quality and choice and in touch with their customers. These are all traditional agricultural and countryside skills that are being lost. They need to be rediscovered and encouraged if farming is to prosper again."

Wednesday, May 24, 2006