A group of Manx farmers say they will continue to lobby politicians about a new agricultural subsidy scheme being introduced by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

It would see farmers paid for looking after their land rather than for the amount of food they produce, as at present.

An opposition group called Farmers For Productive Farming has been set up in the north of the Island.

One of its founders, David Moore, says it’s an important issue and, with a December deadline looming, the public needs to understand the proposals. He told Manx Radio about some of his concerns:

".... if the Island is to, say, reduce its food supply, change its appearance, tax payers' money could be spent in a different way, there could be loss of jobs, so it's going to affect the Island.

"I think it's quite a crossroads for the Island and therefore it's not only farmers, or even politicians, who want to be involved in it but, I think, the whole public need to be aware of the change and maybe to voice an opinion on it."

(Picture: A view of the Plains of Heaven in the centre of the Island, from manxscenes.com).