Bermuda?s Farmers Association is hoping to link up with new part-time growers in a bid to boost leverage as it tries to win financial concessions from Government.

Association president Tom Wadson said farmers paid duty of over 30 percent on agricultural items whereas fishermen, who had far fewer overheads, got tax breaks.

He said: ?Bermuda agriculture receives little support as an industry. Clearly the industry is in need of assistance.?

The recent customs tariff harmonisation had worked against farmers, said Mr. Wadson, who had suffered badly at the hands of Hurricane Fabian. ?The industry faces many issues ? unfair taxation, negligible technical support, competition from subsidised imports and a forever shrinking amount of land to work.

?Bermuda is obliged by United Nations mandate to produce as much food and feed as many people as possible. I do not think this has ever been recognised, far less acted upon.?

Farmers are frustrated land at Frog Lane and Morgan?s Point is not being released for farming.

In December farmers threatened to plough up Frog Lane but they are still waiting to hear from Government about when it will be released after Gary Mello lost interest in farming it.

Mr. Wadson said giving land to the highest bidder wasn?t always wise because it saw true farmers losing out to novices who then squandered it. The recent agricultural review had shown more than 100 acres of farm land were now being farmed that way, said Mr. Wadson. He said: ?Clearly there are a lot more people in this sector than was ever imagined. These people work a lot of land.?

He said it was hoped the newcomers would link up with union which currently has about 25 members. ?Our intention is to restructure our organisation to include as many farmers who wish to join as possible.?