Originally from: coleen
                        
I have been asked to forward this to the group. from Sophie.
You will probably not remember Jane but she did ring you when MAFF was knocking on their door – she comes from the Macclesfield area. I believe that all the 6 farms (although not 100% certain kept their animals)

I take offence from people who say because I did not attend any of the Marches I have done nothing during foot and mouth.I do not happen to believe in marching, I use other ways to show and voice my concerns and beliefs. I know I did more then an awful lot of the people of this Country. I fought to keep my animals for one! If I loose my temper, get on my soap box what the heck. I really am surprised I have managed to keep as sane as I have. Expressing my views has helped – Yes I have learned to 'fight' over the past months.

I know many poor people who are still in a mess over foot and mouth. As more news comes out day after day as to how most of the animals were healthy and that MAFF/DEFRA lied their pain increases.

Coleen

----- Original Message -----
From: ...

Originally from: Sophie Penny
To: ...
Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2002 11:58 AM
Subject: how it really is

Hello

I am the farmer, well the farmers wife actually who gave permission for Coleen to write about the visit from a financial advisor.

The story is long so you will have to forgive me if I ramble on.

I have known coleen for many years, we met through her work with English Setter Rescue. We have become very good friends down the years. I knew that she and Duncan were in the think of it during foot and mouth, and trying to keep their pet sheep.

I rang Coleen one Sunday afternoon. I will never forget the day. Maff had just rung me to say we were 6 miles away from a infected farm. (The farm in the end came back negative). Someone kind person had told Maff I had been out on the bridle track with one of my horses. MAFF said they were coming round to slaugher our herd and small flock that evening.

I could not think of anyone other to ring then Coleen. I remembered her telling me she was taking information from the internet, something we did not have.

To cut a very long story short, she gave me Janes number and the email address which I got wrong so had to go back to her several times. Coleen printed us stacks of information and sent it to me. She gave me the belief to hang on in there. Ithought it was bad here, I can only imagine what poor Cumbria witnessed. . I also contacted Burgess and Salmon. On geting the email address right I rang my Brother who went to the web site and looked up more information and printed some off and sent it. He tried to print some of the messages from the board, but bless him it was eating him out of paper and ink. So he would ring me and tell me what was being said and done.

MAFF had contacted the 6 farms that surround us – I rang them all and gave them as much info as I could. You cannot imagine how much better we felt, my daughter refused to go to bed for 4 nights sitting out with her pony crying her eyes out. From feeling totally alone and isolated we had hope. We blocked off the drive with the tractors as soon as I came off the phone.

We kept out stock. Perhaps MAFF did not go hell bent and pursue us who knows but Without that information we would have let MAFF into take them. We really believed we had no right other then to do so. keeping the stock although we were over the moon has left us financially torn, it is taking a long time to try to get back to something anywhere near what we had. The one consession we did make was to go out and buy a computer. We swore we would never be left in the situation of not knowing what was really going on ever again.

It was whilst in conversation with Coleen I told her the story about the visit from the FA. We were his third farm in total, and he really did not have a clue. My Husband gave up 2 hours when he should have been digging the new drainage, for what amounted to nothing. I gave Coleen permission to post this information to the group. It was not invented and in no way was any of it lies. I take offence that you imply either myself or Coleen lied. We are struggling, I am very very sorry for all the people who lost their animals, but we received no income at all. We do need help good sound help. The computer we bought came from my daughters put a side money for her 18th Birthday. She suggested we use it and buy the computer.

We farmers are being told day after day week after week what to do and not do, by people who do not have a clue how farming operates. Diversify here, diverisfy there, what into? Farming is farming. The latest trend is to market and sell milk in screw top bottles to appeal to the teenage market at 85p a bottle. Milk is not a trend it is a essential. I also wonder will this be British Milk, or cheap foreign imported milk.

Farmers are used to being knocked over the years, we are a hardy bunch. Working out doors in all weathers soon toughens you up.

I know we are not the only people on this Earth and others are suffering also. We did not make things the way they are today succsessive Governments did that. But farming is being left to soak up the backlash.

I have given permission for Coleen to post this to the board.

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