Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
Hi Val!

I think a great deal of what you say is very accurate.

I've spoken to many vets who certainly had the same opinions as Peter Jinman and much of that is due to the limited amount of training they had with regard to viral diseases and of course the time at which they trained. Including those who trained quite recently, let alone the chance to refresh their knowledge.

Although, just like farmers. or anyone else like me, the info was available via the web. They either were familiar with the technology or not, and if they were, didn't have the time or inclination to find out.

FMD arrived early in the year when farmers and farm vets who weren't already coping with lambing in poor weather conditions, were about to do so and that, as always, is inevitably followed by a busy time of year, calving, silage, hay-making, harvests etc.

They hardly had time to spend searching for info they didn't know existed and those that were NFU members believed what their local reps told them, and who can blame them?

We tried to follow the French, (who operate Co-ordination Rurale with some success), by starting Hearts of Britain. Although interest in the idea was well received in many quarters and people realised it could give them a voice, it never really got off the ground in a big way, although Heart of Galloway is still going strong.

Nevertheless, we have to acknowledge that minority groups can and do have a voice and are listened to. They may not acknowledged as the providers of information or instigators of change but they can certainly claim some responsibility for it.

Even this message board passes information and influences change many times quite unwittingly to others. I've been surprised to realise that people who are not members of this board have knowledge of it's contents and info, no doubt because someone has forwarded a message to them or passed the info on in some way.

Farmers may always seem isolated, as you say that's the nature of the business but it doesn't mean that in the end things won't, or haven't started already, to change for the better. What we may think are small voices, are heard! Even through such bizarre places as this board!