A COMPROMISE has been reached over missing agricultural statistics that could deprive Herefordshire farms of essential European Union funding.

Without key agricultural facts from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Herefordshire Council says it cannot demonstrate the effects of foot and mouth disease.

Nor can it apply for grants from the EU, specifically Objective Two funding for areas undergoing transition in periods of agricultural decline.

Coun Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council, said: "The absence of the statistics is a real concern.

"EU funding is vital to a rural economy like Herefordshire's. By withholding this information we're not competing on a level playing field and we could be losing out to other regions and districts across Europe."

The concerns centre on figures for Herefordshire from the agricultural census 2002, including the total area of agricultural land, the number of holdings with sheep and cattle, and the number of holdings and hectares under glass or plastic.

DEFRA says the statistics required by Herefordshire council are confidential.

"Under the Agricultural Statistics Act we are obliged to ensure the protection of commercially confidential data," said a spokesman, adding that the information would identify individual farmers and farm businesses if it were made available.

Coun Charles Mayson, cabinet member for rural regeneration and smallholdings, said: "DEFRA have now been in touch with the council's research department and explained the reasons behind the missing statistics.

"DEFRA have advised our research staff on ways in which the missing statistics can be estimated."