A PUB landlord and chef accused of selling beef on the bone was expected at York Crown Court today.

His appearance comes as the Government was due to announce lifting the ban he is charged with breaking.

Chris Bowman, aged 36, manager and chef of the Drovers Inn, Bishop Thornton, is charged with allegedly selling beef- on-the-bone - a T-bone steak - to North Yorkshire trading standards officer Robert Blacklock and causing two other people to break the ban.

All three charges are brought under the Beef Bones Regulations of 1997.

Bowman is also accused of allegedly obstructing Mr Blacklock by failing to give him details of the business ownership of the Drovers Inn.

The prosecution by North Yorkshire trading standards is the first of its kind in the county.

As Bowman prepared for court, Agriculture Minister Nick Brown was expected to announce the lifting of the ban at the Royal Smithfield Show in London today.

He has consistently said he wants the ban lifted before Christmas, but has been awaiting a report from the scientific committee which investigated BSE and was expected to consult the European Commission, Government chiefs and the agriculture industry before any announcement. The ban was imposed shortly before Christmas last year.

Meanwhile, farmers leader Ben Gill today urged North Yorkshire farmers to set up co-operatives to fight their corner against the might of the supermarkets.

NFU leader Mr Gill, who farms near Easingwold, has launched an initiative encouraging farmers to band together to give them a stronger hand in the market place.

He said in the last 11 years, the Retail Price Index had risen by 60 per cent, food price inflation by 40 per cent, but farm gate prices had slumped by eight per cent.

"There has been a massive fall-off in farm gate prices," said Mr Gill. "The pressures farmers are under are quite acute."

He launched the initiative with Agriculture Minister Lord Donoughue at the Smithfield Show on Sunday.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.