Author wrote:
Dear Jane: I agree with nearly everything you have said here.
With one exception. There are people in your government with great influence on what the folks at DEFRA do.
This will be made clearer in the future.
The cull didn't need to be. There were people, in the shadows. pulling strings to make it happen. Those people had a lot to gain, monetarily, with the cull to continue. Certain things had to occur in other countries before the cull finished.
It was just a convenience to cancel a livestock a country's livestock population to benefit the commercial interests of these people.
Burkie

Author wrote:
Thanks Francis!
In some ways I'm sure we both sympathise with Gary (Burkie)!
In the UK during 2001, so many suffered as a result of FMD and then and since, we felt quite justified n criticising anyone – sometimes including eachother! – who we thought could and should have done things differently or better!
The trouble is that on the whole, criticism tends to be destructive. Only forcing people to entrench their position and justify their actions even more.
During 2001 I found there was very little I could do to stop or change what was happening.
What I could and did do, was try to help people to cope with their individual situations in the way that was best for them. It was always their choice as each situation and individual is different. What one can cope with another finds impossible to deal with. I admit that at times I found their choices frustrating and wished they would have chosen an alternative but that wasn't the point of the exercise!
The one thing that was made clearer to me than ever, was that if we are to 'criticise' we must be 'constructive' and offer a sensible alternative. We can only do that successfully if we fully understand all the reasons why those we criticise choose the actions we dislike so much. If we don't understand the full story we surely have no right to judge or criticise and nor are we any help to those we would seek to assist or ourselves.
Farmtalking was started with the aim that it 'shared ideas, information and advice' in the hope that 'a problem shared is a problem solved'. I think it continues to do that but not always as constructively as it might!
Nevertheless, there are many that are definitely not 'couch potatoes'! They continue to share information both on this board and others, as well as through Warmwell, Christopher Booker's Notebook, Smallholders On-Line, etc. They are public platforms but there are also private ones. So often unknown to us, others are working hard to improve so much and make constructive suggestions in many fields, some of which Francis has mentioned and from which we will all benefit in the future.
Keeping track of everything that's going on at once is impossible but we have to have faith that we will succeed in the end and each contribution made, whether we are aware of it or not, will contribute to the whole.
There is no doubt that when changes are introduced they can seem to add to our expenses and difficulties, but so often we lose sight of the benefits we seek that these changes can bring about. We must give credit where it is due. DEFRA may have made many mistakes and misjudgements and may well continue to do so, but they are certainly not doing it deliberately. We need to remember they have also been given a far wider brief than was the case with MAFF and must be struggling with a very sharp learning curve! So often seeming slow to make the changes we would like and so quick to introduce the ones we dislike!
Following FMD, I remember several suggestions that farmers would benefit from co-operatives of different kinds and in many areas these are now set up and expanding. This morning, news of the Borders Beef co-operative in this area of Scotland, has received promotion on 'Landward' the TV farming program. Illustrating the way in which beef farmers, both breeders and finishers, will be able to cope without subsidies and run a profitable business with traceable livestock that the consumer wants. I hope similar ventures will be not too far behind.
I know 'tagging' stock can be a 'pain' in more ways than one and when introduced was roundly criticised, but without it 'trace ability' cannot be achieved! Of course, it could be improved and with new methods of identification may disappear altogether in the years to come. Who knows?
I wouldn't be surprised if some form of photographic I/D system isn't developed before long, which at least would save the animals from ear-piercing!
For instance, for years fingerprinting has identified human beings and now a photograph of our eyes can be used instead. There are many doubts and criticisms of the suggestion that we might have to carry I/D cards and complaints that our civil liberties will be infringed but...what about the alternatives, the benefits too?
Similar criticisms are applied to horse passports. It's an extra task horse owners will have to do but surely they know it isn't introduced to make they lives more difficult but to improve them!
It's not surprising that some events over the past few years have caused our anger and frustration to take over and all we seem able to do is criticise. I won't deny criticism has it's place and there's no doubt it draws the attention of DEFRA and others, to what has been and still is, very wrong! At the same time, I think we should guard against the tendency to become far too negative in our outlook, depressing both others and ourselves!
Of course this is only a personal opinion. I'm certainly not attempting to lay down the law or Govern this group. I just honestly believe that if we try a little harder to be more 'constructive' and try to accept the changes in our lives as a blessing rather than a curse, both as individuals and as a group, we might feel a whole lot better for it!

Author wrote:
Dear Burkie, this is supposed to be a chatline for farming, rural people and other interested parties. It is supposed to be non-political. Where there is gross incompetence and injustice in the administration of our country, it is almost impossible to keep it a-political. We do tend to keep it non- party-political though, it is as much as we can manage, and I do not recall the last time, or even if there was an incidence, when anyone posted that was complimentary to our Government ! You are American, you are knocking our Government, fair enough, so do we, there is plenty of ammunition, heaven's above. However, please refrain from knocking us as not fighting back, you make us sound like a bunch of wingeing couch potatoes. Is there not plenty that you could get yout teeth into about your administration on your side of the "pond" ? We all do what we can, sometimes, most times, it doesn't seem much, but it can encourage others to stand by their beliefs and, just occasionally, to stand up and be counted. Rome was not built in a day, and every little step forward seems to take so long, but, gradually, I believe we are getting there. The EU, and their fraud squad, OLAF, are on the case. We wait and try to be patient,its what we Brits do best, so they say. Did we INVENT the queque ?
Still Fighting, Frances