CHANGES in payments to farmers are to be set out at a series of roadshows in Yorkshire and the north-east for members of the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

European farm ministers are currently discussing a series of changes to the way farming and the countryside is financially supported. The proposals to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), if approved, would affect all farmers in this country. One of the meetings, featuring NFU experts from London, is to take place at Askham Bryan College, near York, at 1pm on Wednesday.

The other regional roadshows will be held as follows: February 27, 1pm - Croft Spa Hotel, Darlington; March 3, 1pm - Britannia Hotel, Newcastle Airport; March 18, 8pm - Hanover International Hotel, Skipton.

NFU president Ben Gill said he accepted the need to shift the focus of the CAP from production-based support to payments that are less market distorting.

Mr Gill, who farms at Easingwold, said farmers want a simpler, more market-focused policy that results in a more profitable farming sector.

He said: "If introduced in the right way, the proposals will help the EU meet its international obligations while improving farm profitability."

But an NFU spokesman said there were important items of concern in the detail and the NFU would look to the British Government to fight to get these corrected.

Updated: 08:52 Thursday, February 27, 2003