This was the message from UK Environment Secretary Own Paterson to the National Farmers Union annual conference in Birmingham on Wednesday.

Mr Paterson said that he is pressing the other states in the EU for further advances on decoupling payments to farmers for production of food and moving payments to environmental and technology issues.

However, he said that because there are at present 27 different states giving their opinion and his is just one voice, there is bound to be compromise on this occasion.

"Unfortunately there are countries resisting reform," Mr Paterson told the conference.

"The recent amendments in the European Parliament are an illustration of exactly what we are up against.

"At a time when governments across the EU are pumnping money into stopping people smoking, it's crazy to be even considering reinstating subsidies for the production of tobacco.