In what will be seen by many as a climbdown, the Chief Minister has announced agriculture will have a much bigger profile in the proposed re-arrangement of the Manx Government.

The industry had originally been earmarked to be included in a Department of Community, Culture and Leisure.

However, concerns within the farming community that their industry would be ignored will now be addressed by incorporating the existing DAFF into a new Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.

President of the Manx National Farmers Union, Howard Quayle, said the department DAFF had been initially allocated had been inappropriate.