RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has travelled to Brussels to lobby Euro MPs about the plight of farmers in East Lancashire.

Mr Evans is delivering the message that farmers need more help as they try to cope with the deepest recession in farming for more than 60 years.

He is pressing for a review of the Common Agricultural Policy and a study of the impact of new rules and regulations on the industry.

Speaking from Brussels, Mr Evans said: "We are a net contributor to the European Union budget and we must fight for fair and proper treatment for our farmers. "While our farmers are reeling at the lowest farm gate prices for years and ever higher levels of rules, regulation and red tape emanating from both Brussels and Westminster, we must make certain that all politicians work together to fight for a fair deal for our farmers.

"We are denied a 100 per cent milk quota by Brussels which clearly means that we have to import some of our milk and therefore denies our farmers the opportunity to sell more of their milk.

"There has to be an agricultural impact study into all the new rules and regulations that farmers are struggling to cope with. Clearly farmers are faced with costs that are spiralling out of control.

"There must also be a recognition that British produce be clearly labelled as British because in Britain we have some of the best produce in the world. Honesty in labelling is a right that our farmers deserve as they struggle to cope through the worst crisis in farming for 60 years."