Farmers in Devon are being called on to support tenant farmers in Staffordshire after the county council announced proposals to sell off 123 farms covering around 8,500 acres.

In a show of people power, 110 farmers turned out to a meeting led by NFU West Midlands policy adviser Charlie Coldicott and NFU Rural Surveyor Rob Sheasby, with County Farms Liaison Group chairman Graham Clay, to look at the best way to stop council bosses selling off the land which would see many farming families on short-term leases forced to move.

NFU Staffordshire country chairman Mike Madders chaired the meeting.

He said: "Tenant farming is one of the few ways into farming for young people wanting to join the industry and we need to save these farms from what is essentially a revenue-raising exercise by the council.

"Some of the people affected will have put a lot of money into these farms - it's not just their business but their homes we are talking about.

"Tenant farms bring in around £1m in total income for the council, with around in £450,000 profit, so economically it is important we don't lose these valuable assets just to fill a gap in the county's finances."

With other county councils looking at making similar decisions to sell-off county farms, the NFU is hoping to save Staffordshire tenant farmers from the same fate.

NFU rural surveyor Rob Sheasby added: "I would urge farmers to write to Staffordshire County Council as part of the NFU's lobbying campaign to show support for the farmers affected as well as remind the authorities considering this action they need to look at other alternatives to stem cash-flow shortfalls, rather than sell-off valuable farm land."