A FARMER who diversified into ice-cream production but found his business hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis came face to face with the Rural Affairs Minister, Mr Alun Michael, on Monday.

Mr Brian Moore set up the Brymor ice cream factory and visitor parlour at Jervaulx, a few miles outside Masham, nine years ago after a long and costly planning wrangle with Harrogate Borough Council over his previous base at Weeton, near Harrogate.

Earlier this year, however, the Jervaulx parlour was closed for ten weeks because of foot-and-mouth fears and, although ice-cream production continued, Mr Moore found that the only way he could continue to satisfy tourists was by setting up a temporary base in Masham town hall.

During his informal fact-finding visit on Monday, Mr Michael discussed with Mr Moore the prospects for a business which produces 250,000 litres of multi-flavoured ice-cream a year and has an annual turnover of just under £1m.

Mr Moore, who has a herd of 300 Guernsey cattle producing all the milk for his ice-cream and cheese, said later: "Government money will help the farming industry but it is a matter of where they channel it and what it will be for."

He hoped for more meetings with Mr Michael who, he said, seemed sensible and genuinely interested and picked a lot of points up.

"One initiative is not going to cope with the situation," said Mr Moore. "Not every farmer can diversify. It does not matter how good a farm is if the end product is not making a profit.

"You cannot glibly tell people what they should do; we need a chain of initiatives to make farming profitable and keep the dales as beautiful as they are. We also need a food policy which would tell farmers what the government wanted them to produce and put a bottom in the market.

"We have seen greatly reduced visitor numbers here. Trade is gradually coming back but we are not getting the big coach parties. In all fairness, I cannot grumble and am putting a lot of effort into getting people back.''

Mr Michael said: "One of the things we have learned is the need for real teamwork between central government, regional agencies and local people.

"We are encouraging people to come back to the countryside and use its services. The countryside is open for business.

"As long as that message goes out loud and clear, the best thing we can do to help the revival of the countryside is to use its products, its tourist attractions and its hotels and to take advantage of what is going on in market towns.''

Mr Michael began his day with a briefing in York from the regional Rural Economic Recovery Group.

Mrs Heather Hancock, environment director of regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, outlined the £4m programme being put in place saying: "But we also need more government help, both in terms of extra funding and their continuing support for our flexible and responsive approach to events."

Mr Michael told journalists that he was on a fact finding tour and could not give any details on what measures the government might introduce in the future. The Rural White Paper would, however, look at developing a sustainable policy for rural areas.