NORTH Yorkshire farming leaders have hit out at plans for a series of protests against the Government limiting livestock movement.

Reports have emerged of plans by farmers across the UK to carry out motorway blockades, slow traffic convoys and disrupt major supermarkets in protest at the Government's 20-day rule.

But farming unions and groups say such a protest, which is reported as being planned for August 12, could do more damage than good.

The rules, introduced by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, stop farmers moving their livestock for 20 days if they bring new animals on to their land. Farmers say the rules will hinder their ability to trade at agricultural markets and could put them out of business.

North Yorkshire county NFU chairman Derek Watson said he was not surprised farmers were resorting to action.

"This 20-day rule is absolutely ludicrous, you have got to question the intelligence of the ministers behind it," he said.

"The sheep farmers are going to suffer very badly from this rule during the autumn markets."

Jonathan Barber, a spokesman for the protesting farmers, told a national newspaper: "People are desperately worried about what is going to happen. People are already calling the stress charities and are really anxious. Some have already admitted they are breaking the law and are nervous about it."

But Rob Simpson, a spokesman for the NFU in North Yorkshire, said the union was not supporting the protest.

He said: "If one more foreign product ends up on supermarket shelves in place of a British one because the supermarkets cannot get the supplies they need, this will defeat the whole point of the protest."

A spokesman from DEFRA said: "We understand this rule may have an economic impact on farmers.

"However, we do not support illegitimate protests like this."

Updated: 11:48 Thursday, August 01, 2002