THE free market is both unattainable and undesirable for agriculture.

That uncompromising message was given by the Tenant Farmers' Association to the government appointed policy commission on food and farming on Tuesday.

Mr George Dunn, TFA chief executive, said farming would continue to need central government and European support. The Common Agricultural Policy failed to meet its primary objective of supporting producers.

"The current arrangements merely go to fund higher rents, labour, machinery and other input costs," he said. "A new policy framework must avoid, or significantly reduce, the leakage of support away from its intended beneficiaries."

The TFA wants the UK to fight for individual producer bonds guaranteeing annual payments to the recipient, calculated on past payments under the various CAP schemes.

"This would ease the burden of administration and ensure that most production decisions were de-coupled from support payments," said Mr Dunn, "Enviromental top-ups could also be offered."

Tenant farmers had particular problems, often being restricted in the use of the land they farm. This was not helpful when the government was pushing agri-environment and other non-farming activities as a source of income.

New schemes must recognise that nearly 40pc of the farmed area in the country was tenanted or licensed, said Mr Dunn, and existing schemes must be amended.

"Tenants' ability to take part in non-agricultural activity of the type encouraged through the rural development programme needs to be thoroughly researched," he said.

The TFA submitted 23 proposals, including a short-term package of support to aid recovery post foot-and-mouth; the introduction of a retirement scheme, and greater emphasis on food security in terms of both quantity and protection from imported disease.

l The National Pig Association this week called on the commission to recommend effective measures to protect the UK from imported diseases.

Mr Stuart Royston, chief executive, also wanted changes in World Trade Organisation rules so that exports to the UK and EU must meet the same high welfare, food safety and environmental protection standards.

l The National Beef Association warned the commission of more damage to the landscape, and missed opportunities in advancing human health, if mainstream retailers and caterers persisted with discount-led pricing for home-killed cattle.

Beef production had shrunk even before foot-and-mouth. The June 2001 census showed a 5pc drop in breeding cows and a 7pc cut in sucklers. It could continue to shrink by up to 20pc over the next three years because of EU offered inducements to breeders to claim suckler cow premium on un-bred heifers.

Mr Robert Forster, NBA chief executive voiced fears that, over the next 12 months, up to 500,000 dairy beef calves could be shot within days of birth because breeders feared their price would be far less than the production costs.

More should be done to publicise scientific evidence which showed grass-fed British beef was not only superior to continental grain-fed beef in taste and flavour, but was also healthier. The public should be told that it could help suppress cancer, heart attacks and cholesterol levels, and provide high proportions of daily vitamin and trace element requirements