THE GOVERNMENT'S scheme to pay £34m to arable farmers had been formally approved by the European Commission.

As announced earlier, this is agrimonetary compensation to offset the effects on direct payments of the weakness of the euro against sterling since July 1999.

Nick Brown said: "I am delighted to say that the Commission has now approved our scheme to pay £34m in agrimonetary compensation to arable farmers. This is an exceptional response to very difficult trading conditions.

" It brings the total agrimonetary compensation to be paid from 1997 to the end of this year to £629m."

Updated: 10:55 Thursday, February 15, 2001