Big red tractors became the sugar daddies of the little red tractor this week by helping the industry standard receive £35,000 in new funds.

Sales of Massey Ferguson vehicles this summer raised the sum that will help farmers on the brink of ruin from foot and mouth rebuild their businesses.

The revenue came from AGCO and Agricredit, which gave a donation for every credit and insurance agreement signed on the tractors.

Cash from the scheme will be put in a pot with money from the NFU's Supporting Farmers in Crisis fund, giving 1,000 agriculturalists who had livestock culled £50 off the cost of getting their farms assured.

AGCO UK and Ireland sales director David Sleath and Agricredit md Paul McCarthy handed over the takings on December 12 at the Massey Ferguson Extraordinary Product Show in Warwickshire.

NFU Hereford county chairman at the height of the outbreak Elwyn Maddy, took charge of the cash along with Assured Food Standards chief David Clarke.

Sheep farmer Maddy praised the fundraising effort.

He said: 'This money will make an extremely important contribution directly to farmers keen to re-build and move their industry forward.

'Farm assurance and the little red tractor logo are important British initiatives to help consumers identify food produced to the high standards they expect.' Sleath added: 'The foot and mouth disease has been a personal tragedy for those involved and the rural economy at large.

'We are pleased to have been able to give something back to the industry to assist with the hugely important re-building programme.' The Supporting Farmers In Crisis Fund was launched in March after donations began flooding in from many quarters after news reports of the outbreak.

More than £800,000 has already been donated to help farmers through established farming charities