Farmers' leader Peter Kendall has welcomed the government's decision to scrap five statutory levy boards dating back almost 40 years.The British Potato Council and four other organisations will be replaced by a single new levy board from April 2008, it was announced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Farmers' leader Peter Kendall has welcomed the government's decision to scrap five statutory levy boards dating back almost 40 years.

The British Potato Council and four other organisations will be replaced by a single new levy board from April 2008, it was announced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

A single, statutory levy board will replace the British Potato Council, the Meat and Livestock Commission, the Milk Development Council, the Horticulture Development Council and the Home-Grown Cereals Authority.

Sustainable Farming and

Food Minister Jeff Rooker said: "We have retained the levy because there was overwhelming support for this from farmers

and growers during the public consultation.

"But changes are still needed to the current structures to help the industry meet future business challenges."

Farmers, growers and producers will still have to pay money to the new body but the levy rates will be reviewed once a new board have been appointed.

Mr Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, said: "There would be sector boards underneath and a board over the top. My challenge to the top board is ambitiously seek synergies which might result in cost savings and much better work and quality of output."

Levies paid to existing five bodies range from £4.7m for the Horticulture Development Council to £26.3m for the Meat and Livestock Commission, according to an independent report carried out last year.