A COUNTY farmer has been left feeling anxious and worried after he was locked out of his business accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

Adam Knock, who farms near Abergavenny, says he has been left in the dark for weeks by the social media giant, Meta, which has suspended his accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

The business owner says he has lost thousands as a result of his accounts being frozen.

“I’ve been trying to find out what has happened to my account, I don’t know whether it has been hacked or if it has been suspended for another reason but it is very difficult to speak to somebody at Meta,” he said.

“I had 30 responses to an advert I had paid for on Facebook through my page, which I would estimate accounts for between £6,000 and £7,000. But more might have responded by now if my account was still active.”

“I’ve just spent all my savings on a new tractor to support this business, which I have an upcoming payment for in the spring. Without work I’m not going to be able to finance it.”

In an age where farmers are being told to diversify and find new ways of securing an income, Adam has called on larger companies to do more to support small business owners online by making communicating with them easier.

“A company as big as Meta has not outlined why the page has been suspended or how I should try to regain access to it,” he said.

“I already suffer badly with my anxiety and I have been very stressed out. I’m asking the same questions as everybody else but the company will not give me any answers.”

“The situation is pushing me down the road of poor mental health, which is a difficult experience lots of other farmers go through. But I am feeling like I might as well give up.”