RED tape is holding up Government payments to farmers and delaying much-needed cash.

The issue was exposed during a series of open-forum sessions with farmers organised by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA).

Farmers in Worcestershire and Herefordshire have told CLA experts they are angry, frustrated and pessimistic about the future.

The CLA, which has almost 2,000 members in the two counties, is now writing to Government Ministers and MPs with an immediate four-point action plan.

"The problem of late payments across Government departments is very worrying," said Nick Way, director of policy for CLA.

"On top of an enormously stressful financial situation, the payment agencies seem insensitive to the need themselves to be businesslike.

"Farmers forecast expected payment dates into farm business cash flows. Their creditors don't wait."

During its "listening" tour, the CLA's national officers and policy chiefs have met 150 farmers throughout the region, representing every sector of the industry.

On Monday, they met farmers at the Hereford Young Farmers Club, in the city.

Last week, on Tuesday, October 22, they met Worcestershire farmers at the Hawford Young Farmers Club Centre, in Worcester.

Frances Beatty, West Midlands CLA director, said it had been "shocking" to hear that payments within environmentally sensitive areas were being delayed by up to three months.

"We were told time and again that arable area payments are delayed and that beef special premium payments are held up because the cattle movement service is hamstrung by outdated Government statistics.

"Data is so inaccurate that farmers are bearing the burden of putting right the Government's mistakes, having to re-enter information beast by beast that the Cattle Movement Service should already have recorded".

The action plan includes recommendations for an immediate audit by DEFRA of the current situation with the Rural Payments Agency and the Cattle Movement Service, including a review of red tape hold ups.

It also recommends a right of appeal, with the payment agencies subject to a time limit for the conclusion of the process, a 90 per cent payment be made automatically in the case of any dispute and an automatic right to interest in the case of all outstanding payments.