Is the Department of Agriculture being unfairly targeted when it comes to government cutbacks?

In recent days it's been announced a number of schemes are being axed including the Cereal Intervention Scheme 2000, Provision of Lime Scheme 2002 and the Livestock Improvement Scheme.

President of the Manx National Farmers Union, Howard Quayle, says farmers are more than happy to do their bit to make savings but they seem to be bearing the brunt of cutbacks.

However, whilst admitting that he's had to make ?2.2 million pounds worth of cutbacks, Agriculture Minister Phil Gawne doesn't think that farmers are being unfairly penalised.