The FPB took up the cases of a number of contractors involved in the outbreak in 2001 of Foot and Mouth (F&M) Disease, and battled to bring to an end the lingering effects of the crisis. Many contractors across the country experienced difficulties in securing final settlement of outstanding invoices, so we went on the offensive and took the Government to task for its handling of the outbreak and its aftermath.

Luke and Susanne Furse, of member firm Luke Furse Earthmoving Ltd, became embroiled in a long and drawn-out struggle with Defra in pursuit of final payment for the work their company had done at a time of crisis for the rural community and the country as a whole.

After finally agreeing a settlement with Defra in April 2004, they wrote to the FPB to thank us for the help and assistance we had given them in their dispute. "We would like to thank the FPB, and in particular Paul Gregory, the FPB's late payment adviser, for the tireless effort they have put into the campaign to bring an end to our problems," they said.

The FPB supported the case of member Harry Ruttle, of Ruttle plant hire in Chorley, Lancashire. The company took Defra to court and won their claim in September 2004 for outstanding debts of £10 million plus costs and interest on what they were owed for digging disposal pits on farms during the F&M outbreak.

We continue to hold Defra accountable for the payment of money owed to contractors and farmers, and are calling on the Public Accounts Committee to scrutinise the problem. The FPB has accused the Government of making a derisory offer when it comes to paying interest on the money owing to English farmers through the Single Farm Payment (SFP). Defra promised that payments to farmers would be made between 1 December 2005 to 30 June 2006. Farmers based in Scotland and Wales were paid promptly on 1 December, but in England hundreds of farmers were made to wait for payment for months.

In June 2006, the FPB formulated a response to Defra's Rural Development Programme for England. We called for rural and urban issues to be considered together because of their strong links. We also recommended that tax incentives be introduced for such things as bio-fuel production and sustainable cropping, and that Defra ensures that basic business needs are met – access to information, training, banking, finance etc. Cash flow problems created by Defra (delayed F&M payments, SFPs, need to be addressed). Unnecessary bureaucracy and regulation is a barrier and the FPB is concerned that some of the challenges and priorities, if taken out of proportion, will deter rural development rather than enhance it.