A NEW package of aid worth £85million for Britain's farmers was today blasted by the industry's leaders.

Agriculture Minister Jack Cunningham says the extra cash will be divided between beef and sheep producers - but there will be no special handout for hard-pressed hill farmers.

Sir David Naish, president of the NFU, immediately accused the Government of failing to keep its promise to farmers working in upland areas such as the North York Moors and Dales.

He said: "We have been pressing for the early payment of the £85m package promised last December.

"I am pleased that the Minister has now confirmed it will be paid by the end of March.

"However the lower allocation of funds to hill farmers will leave them gutted.

"Hill farmers planned budgets on the December package and their hopes and expectations based on the outcome of a thorough review have now been dashed.

"This is a cruel blow to an industry already stricken by a crisis which has seen farm incomes plummet by nearly 50 per cent in 1997."

The Minister's announcement looks likely to mean 30p less per sheep and £4 less per suckler cow than they were led to expect as a result of his statement in December.

Yesterday, Sir David Naish led an attack on the Government when he accused them of "lecturing" the agricultural industry without offering it any help.

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