The crisis in farming was spelled out to the Archbishop of Canterbury when he visited farmers at Skipton Castle today.

Dr Rowan Williams was in Skipton fresh from the controversy surrounding the go-ahead for women bishops in the Church of England, agreed at the General Synod in York on Monday.

He spent about two hours with farmers from throughout Craven and was told by George Walbank of Keasden, near Clapham, that in 500 years of farming the same land, economically "it was the worst it could be."

And Jeremy Taylor, who farms at Broughton, said the price farmers got for milk had essentially been static for ten years.

"We have not been able to properly re-invest and there is no guidance from the Government or DEFRA," he said.

The archbishop was told that the plight was brought sharply to light at this time of year when sheep were being "clipped" and the wool from 1,000 sheep brought in just £83.

In reply, Dr Williams said people had lost connection with food production and had got used to having cheap food.

"But given the fragility of the world economy and transport and other costs, we can no longer bank on the luxury of having cheap food," he said.