FARMING came under the spotlight when a Government minister visited Walmersley.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Liz Truss called into Park Farm in Manchester Road on Monday to support prospective Parliamentary candidate David Nuttall who is aiming to retain his Bury North seat at next month's elections.

Mrs Truss spoke to a group of about 30 farmers, young farmers and local traders about a wide range of issues affecting the rural economy.

Afterwards, Margaret Lees, who works at the farm's shop and is a farmer's wife, said: "She came across quite well with regards to national issues, but she didn't seem to grasp rural affairs affecting the north.

"The price of milk is too low. Farmers don't earn enough from it to feed their cows and supermarkets have too much of a say.

"Sadly, the process began declining 20 years ago and there is little that can be done to reverse it."

Mrs Lees said there should be a minister exclusively for agriculture, as there used to be, and that the milk marketing board should be brought back, though she was not convinced rivals of the Conservatives had answers to these complex problems either.

After the visit, Mrs Truss said: "We have a fantastic dairy industry in this country but I know dairy farmers are going through a tough time at the moment due to low prices, which David Nuttall and I have discussed.

"We are doing all we can to help by working with HMRC to delay tax bills, ensuring dairy farmers are prioritised for basic farm payments and putting pressure on the banks to ensure they treat dairy farmers sympathetically."