Maggie Urry

Farmers leaders said fast night they had "an extremely positive and constructive" meeting with Ms Emma Bonino, the European Commissioner, where a lifting of the export ben on UK beef was discussed. Ms Bonino took charge of food safety issues on April 1, and is responsible for the scientific procedures which must be followed before the ben can be raised. R was imposed fast year when the UK government said there could be a link between bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle and Creutzfeld Jacob disease, the fatal human brain condition.

Sir David Naish, president of the National Farmers' Union, said: "Although I do not expect the beef ben to be lifted overnight, I am greatly reassured by today's meeting. The Commissioner seems determined to move ahead with the necessary scientific procedures".

Ms Bonino also told Sir David and Mr Sandy Mole, Scottish NFU president,that she would visit the UK to see the working of anti-BSE controls. The farmers' leaders raised the issue of cheap imports of beef to the UK putting pressure on cattle prices. Mr Mole said "we are not afraid of fair competition but we can't be used as a dumping