THE Government has launched a £20 million business training scheme for rural areas in taking advantage of new opportunities in the home and export markets.

Farmers in Selby, Goole, Scunthorpe and Doncaster will be targeted with training on skills, such as crop spraying and pest control and how to handle rat and mice infestation on their land.

Farmers from across Yorkshire have already been taking part in a crop protection course, in Malton, which helps them to better understand how to grow crops, control wheat, handle pest diseases and learn the latest legislation around crop protection.

Next week, the ten farmers will be taking an exam which will give them a recognised qualification.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said 90,000 business people from rural areas were expected to benefit from the programme.

Subsided courses ranging from one-day courses to induustry-recognised qualifications, will be available in subjects including business and management, market opportunities and information technology will be open to businesses and individuals and will be run on college campuses, in village halls, on farms and in business centres.

Defra will meet 70 per cent of training costs through its Rural Development Programme for England with the remaining 30 per cent met by individuals or their employers.