Farmers are being inundated with red tape, peers claim today.

A House of Lords report warns that farmers are facing increasing regulation at local, national and European level.

It calls for new approaches to improve the environmental impact of agriculture and for a "new relationship" between regulators and the businesses they oversee.

Out of 50 new green laws, two fifths will impact on agriculture, peers warned.

Added to these are EU directives on waste framework, nitrates, a water framework and integrated pollution prevention.

The Lords EU committee, which examined the impact of regulations from Brussels, called for a move to a "risk-based approach" which relied more on self regulation rather than agencies enforcing rules.

"Farmers are inundated with regulations and advice from many different sources. The burden of paperwork threatens to overwhelm smaller businesses," warned the committee chairman, the Earl of Selborne.

"Government and its agencies need to work more closely together to help farmers meet environmental goals."