Princes fund's £150k aid to struggling farmers (From Salisbury Journal)

Princes fund's £150k aid to struggling farmers

12:30pm Wednesday 2nd January 2013 in Rural Focus

THE Prince’s Countryside Fund has announced it will donate £150,000 from its emergency fund to help farmers who are struggling through the winter months as a result of last year’s extreme weather.

Last summer was the second wettest in the UK since records began and a drought across much of England during the spring followed by the recordbreaking wet weather has meant a poor harvest for many farmers, resulting in higher costs to keep livestock and high seed prices for next year’s crops.

The £150,000, the entire amount in the emergency fund, will be distributed through charities to help farmers in crisis across the UK.

And following a meeting of interested parties, the Duke of Westminster confirmed he will match the funding and donate an additional £150,000, taking the total amount raised to £300,000.

Lord Curry of Kirkharle, a trustee of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, said: “Farms have been hit hard by the poor weather and it is only going to get worse as the need to buy in feed at inflated prices and the increase in other costs begins to have a serious effect on cash flow. The impact will probably be felt in January and February onwards so it is particularly well timed to release the money now and ensure charities can prepare for the increase in demand for their services.”