CHANGE was inevitable, but farmers must be allowed time to adapt, members of the North Riding and County Durham committee of the NFU have been told.

The county chairman, Brian Hodgson, said pressure from the Government for farmers to diversify was not the answer for many people and, in some cases, drew farmers away from the core business, which then suffered.

"At present, all people are doing is running about, doing extra jobs, and it is not proper farming," he said. "If we continue down that road we will be farming for nothing." Diversification should gain a premium, not prop up the core business.

Farmers also needed to embrace new marketing skills and provide what the market demanded. "If we can sell more direct, cutting out some of the middle men, there is still room for profit," he said.

The Government was "mad keen" on environmental schemes and Countryside Stewardship but the policy of transporting produce and animals from one end of the country to the other was adding to environmental problems.

"If the Government cares about the environment, how about giving us an environmental premium to produce and sell food locally?" he said.

"We have to be able to compete with Europe and, if that means large scale co-operatives, we have got to have them."

* Mr Hodgson had attended the national agm and conference and welcomed a better than ever turnout of MPs.

Key speakers had included Defra Secretary of State Margaret Beckett, Don Curry and European commissioner Franz Fischler. Mr Curry and Mr Fischler had come across particularly well, said Mr Hodgson.

Headquarters delegate Richard Betton said much time had been given to considering the Curry report, which contained 103 proposals, the vast majority of which concerned policy. Of the six non-policy proposals, one key item was extra modulation, which was strongly opposed by members.

The report contained many positive aspects but the biggest fear was that Defra would "cherry pick" those which could be implemented without cost to the Government.

* NFU membership fees are to rise by £5 for full farming members and by £1 for other farming categories, including retired and family members, from October.

* A proposed new structure for the NFU would make the union "a bit quicker on its feet" the meeting was told.

John Seymour, parliamentary committee chairman, said the decision by the council to establish a management board to oversee the day-to-day running of the organisation should improve communications.

The proposals, along with others to cut the size of council and committees and to set up a public relations committee, will go out to consultation.

The consultation document will be discussed at the next county committee and the council votes on the plans in June