THE president of the National Farmers' Union has held an emergency meeting with the agriculture Minister to discuss how farming can be put back on its feet after the fuel crisis.

Ben Gill and the NFU's director general, Richard Macdonald, met Nick Brown yesterday afternoon.

They stressed the strength of feeling in the agriculture industry surrounding high road fuel prices and taxation.

Mr Gill also explained the impact of the lack of fuel on farmers and growers. All sectors of farming had been hit. Many cereal farmers were harvesting, growers needed fresh produce collected and livestock farmers were concerned about the welfare of their stock.

"The Minister was left in no doubt that the scale of the protests seen over the last week reflects the scale of anger felt by farming and rural community on fuel taxation," said Mr Gill.

"Farmers and growers should be able to access emergency fuel, which will help to alleviate the pressures on the food chain and ensure the welfare of animals."

The meeting also discussed a number of other urgent issues, including details of new hill farming support arrangements, the milk industry and developments in the swine fever outbreak in East Anglia.

Farmers have been instrumental in the recent blockades outside oil refineries across the country.

North Wales farmer Brynle Williams was the self-styled leader of the blockades at Stanlow, Cheshire, which was the first fuel protest.