FARMERS and farmworkers facing an uncertain future in the wake of foot-and-mouth are being offered jobs in the south.

Recruitment agency, Dairyforce, and its sister company Farmforce, held recruitment clinics at Penrith and Hexham markets last week for farmers and farm workers to register for full-time and part-time opportunities in the south. These attracted 20 potential applicants and more clinics are now planned.

Mr Michael Day, Dairyforce managing director, believes there is a considerable opportunity for skilled farm workers faced with limited openings locally to meet the demand elsewhere in the country.

"Tragically there are many excellent, experienced farmworkers facing a long period without work in areas blighted by foot-and-mouth," he said. "Skilled herdspeople and tractor drivers are in demand across the country and it has often been difficult in the past to find candidates of the correct calibre, so we decided to try to match northern skills with the opportunities that exist elsewhere.

"We have been delighted with the response at these clinics, in terms of both quality and quantity, and I am confident of confirming a number of assignments in the near future."

The Farmforce register includes short and medium-term assignments for tractor and combine drivers as well as for herdspeople.

For those working on farms where dairy herds were slaughtered, the company also has a number of full time openings for herdspeople. Free accommodation and travel expenses are offered with each assignment.