Farmers reeling from the foot-and-mouth crisis were given a boost yesterday when it was announced that a fund set up to help them would get match funding from the government.
The Farmers' Fund was set up by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, organiser of the annual Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate, which has been cancelled next month for the first time in 50 years, because of the crisis.
Now the Countryside Agency has donated £89,000 to the hardship fund, bringing the current total to £244,578.
The fund, to help farmers overcome immediate financial problems, was set up through three charities - the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, Farm Crisis Network and The Samaritans.
Bill Cowling, chairman of the society's grants committee said: "Help is desperately needed by farmers who are having to pay their bills, but without the income to do so."
The society donated £50,000 to start the fund and since then show societies throughout Yorkshire have backed it, along with church congregations and children's charity efforts.
Read more about the foot-and-mouth crisis here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article