The impact of foot and mouth is could be forcing farmers to sell their land, according to the latest rural market survey.

The survey, carried out by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, reveals the first increase in farmland availability for nearly two years.

Forum Response: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Julian Sayers, chairman of the rural faculty at RICS, told ePolitix.com: "The recent spending review was roughly £300 million short of what's needed to fully implement the Curry recommendations. So we know that the reforms can not be carried in full, which is vitally important if there is to be a genuine attempt to resuscitate the farming industry.

"Unless the situation changes the present exodus from the industry will doubtless continue to increase."

Forum Response: Countryside Alliance

A spokesman for the Countryside Alliance told ePolitix.com: "The figures from the RICS show the stark reality of the crisis facing the agricultural sector. With falling commodity prices farmers will continue to sell up leading to further reductions in land prices and a possible spiral of decline as farm businesses face growing debts and falling asset value.

"The Countryside Alliance calls for immediate implementation of all the recommendations of the Curry report. At present the government has committed to only the "core recommendations" of the report and has failed to provide sufficient funding through the comprehensive spending review to implement even those 'core recommendations'.

"If farming is to have a future in Britain the government must concentrate its efforts on real and radical reform of the Common Agricultural Policy shifting subsidy away from commodity and volume payments towards agri - environmental schemes and rural development."