THE Shadow Agriculture Minister, Mr Tim Yeo, criticised the government's attitude to farming in Britain on a visit to the Prime Minister's constituency last week.

Mr Yeo spoke at a meeting organised by County Durham farmers at Mr Graham Smith's Cowley House Farm just outside Sedgefield.

He said that despite one or two helpful things in the government's Rural White Paper published last week, the plight of farmers was still being ignored.

The shadow minister pointed to dishonest food labelling and increased bureaucracy as just two of the problems facing the British agriculture industry.

"Red tape is strangling farmers," he said. "We do not believe that any European directives should be enforced at an earlier date than in other EU countries."

"There has to be honesty in food labelling. It is scandalous that there is food in the supermarkets with British labels that does not contain a trace of anything made in Britain."

In reply to a comment from the audience that the only label the consumer is interested in is the price, Mr Yeo said he felt this was not always the case.

He said there was a growing number of mainly younger people who were prepared to pay a bit extra for food which they know is of a higher standard and that this would increase.

He added that, although it was early days, the Food Standards Agency had a duty to be independent of large retailers and ministers and ensure that proper standards were met by foreign food produce coming into Britain.

Mr Yeo also called for restrictions on French beef imports following the latest BSE scare emanating from across the Channel.

One farmer said there would be reprisals against British exports to France if a ban ensued and feared sheep farmers in particular could suffer.

"If we ban their beef our French cousins are likely to fire the first lot of sheep sent over there," he added.

Mr Yeo said he was aware that a ban could lead to repercussions for some British farmers, but believed the best interests of consumers had to come first.

He said: "The overriding concern has to be the protection of the consumer. We can't afford the impact on other trades to come before consumers."

He went on to accuse the government of failing to be strong enough in the face of previous problems with exports to France.

"I do not think there is any evidence that France respects any weakness in other governments. They support their farmers and it's time Britain had a government that does the same. The French know Britain under Labour is a soft touch."

Several members of the audience feared that farming and the countryside would eventually fall into decline as the next generation was reluctant to become involved in what they see as a failing industry.

Mr Yeo said he thought the best guardian of the countryside was a prosperous farmer.

"They have more of a feel for the country than someone who has come out of a council office," he said. "There is a danger of bureaucratising the countryside, and stewardship costs are a severe strain on farmers' resources."

He added: "I am not against more tourism in the countryside, but what I am against is Britain not having its own food production industry. This government does not seem to mind whether we have an agriculture industry or not."