THE vast majority of culled-out farmers will restock their farms, although many with fewer animals, the first comprehensive survey of farmers post-FMD has found. Only 6pc indicated they wanted to move out of farming.

Many are looking at diversification, entering 'green' schemes or turning organic, the survey found. The telephone survey of more than 1,000 farmers whose businesses were affected by the foot and mouth outbreak was conducted for DEFRA by ADAS.

Lord Whitty, Minister for Food and Farming said: "All of these farmers suffered terribly from foot and mouth and it is very encouraging that they are thinking positively about the future."

The main findings of the survey are:

- 78pc of infected premises and 65pc of premises classified as Dangerous Contacts intended to restock and continue farming as soon as possible;

- Only 6pc of those classified as a foot and mouth infected premise indicated that they would definitely be 'moving out of farming';

- 25pc of the holdings surveyed are 'definitely' or 'possibly' planning to diversify into non-traditional or non-farming activities;

- 25pc indicated that they would 'definitely' or 'possibly' move some or all of the land on their holding into environmental schemes;

- There is interest among a small percentage of farmers in running an organic enterprise. If all those indicating that they planned to run such an enterprise did so, this could see a doubling of the number of such farms;

Populations of sheep and pigs may reduce significantly in the short term, but significantly recover in the medium term. The number of cattle may also reduce in the short term but to a lesser extent. The number of dairy enterprises will, the survey suggests, decrease but it is unclear whether production will also fall;

- 10pc of infected premises employed extra staff, but 24pc reduced the number of people working on the holding.

Updated: 10:14 Thursday, February 28, 2002