A HEREFORDSHIRE councillor says a fellow county farmer has been left suicidal after waiting more than four months for vital government funding.

Cllr Dave Greenow is himself owed thousands of pounds from the government's new Basic Payment Scheme which has been hit by major issues with the IT system used to administer the money.

The Conservative councillor, who chairs the authority's Regulatory Committee, has even attacked his own national party saying the Tories are actively encouraging foreign food onto the shelves of supermarkets.

"It's making me quite angry," said the ward member for Hagley.

"There is one farmer in Herefordshire who is close to suicide. He is absolutely desperate. It's an absolute nonsense."

Cllr Greenow farms 380 acres in south Herefordshire and has 100 beef cattle and 360 sheep.

He says he is going to have to make "stark choices" if the money doesn't arrive soon.

"It really has a knock-on effect," he said.

"We've not bought our fertiliser yet so merchandiser's have not yet received money for it."

He said many are unhappy with central Government.

"There's a swathe of people against the Tories in the farming community at the moment," he said.

"Some don't feel they are being supported enough. It's a very sad situation."

He hit out at DEFRA minister George Eustice for saying those affected have been written to.

"He said they've written to farmers explaining the delays. That's not true. We have not had a letter.

"The farming industry is in pretty dire straits. The government is keen to import foreign meats and things like that. They are actively encouraging foreign food.

"I just want to highlight the plight of farmers who have not had this money.

"I know of one person who is behind with his rent and is being chased."

The Rural Payments Agency, which administers payments, should have sent out the money on December 1 last year.

Hereford and south Herefordshire MP Jesse Norman said he sympathises with those affected.

"The whole thing has been a bit of a fiasco," he said.

"I have a number of constituents who have been hard pressed financially as a result.

"One farmer said he was 92nd in the queue when he called the RPA.

"I've written to them and taken it up with the Minister but it's proving very difficult to speed up the process."

Farmers Weekly says 15 per cent of claimants are still waiting, affecting about 10,000 farmers nationally.