THE Government has been accused of putting the needs of wildlife before agriculture after pulling out of a deal to control the rabbit population.

For 60 years, Natural England has intervened in disputes between farmers when rabbits destroy crops in neighbouring fields.

Now, the agency, which has a remit to look after wildlife and the economic prosperity of the countryside, has told farmers it no longer wants to get involved. Instead it advises farmers to settle disputes in the civil courts.

It has led to fears the rabbit population will soar due a combination of warmer winters and a lack of enforcement.

Ian Johnson, regional spokesman for the National Farmers' Union (NFU), said: "Most farmers like to see wildlife, they don't want to see sterile prairies. But they also want to make a living and it would be in nobody's interest to see a rampant rabbit population because they eat just about anything. I think the only people who will benefit from this are solicitors."

Crops under threat are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, carrots, turnips, swedes, onions, cabbage and broccoli.

All farmers have a duty under law to keep the rabbit population under control on their own property. Until now, if a neighbour fails to do so and crops on an adjacent farm are at risk, any aggrieved farmers could apply to the Government for an order compelling the dispatch of the rabbits.

Anyone who ignored the order from Natural England would be liable to criminal prosecution.

The threat of legal action has been enough to settle most disputes between neighbours and just 60 orders have been taken out in the past three years.

The fear is that with the threat of Government intervention gone, farmers may go to court.

Mr Johnson said: "The problem with Natural England is that they put the interests of wildlife above and beyond the needs of productive agriculture.

"This decision is indicative of the way Natural England works but it isn't helpful to farmers. One does get the feeling that within the hierarchy of Natural England there are people who do not consider the interests of farmers and only see farmland as means of having wall-to-wall wildlife."

The NFU is one of a number of groups ready to try and persuade Natural England to change its mind.

A Natural England spokesman said: "In the vast majority of cases, problems concerning control are dealt with satisfactorily as a result of neighbouring landowners agreeing on appropriate action between themselves."