FFA news

Originally from: David
                        
FFA
FARMERS FOR ACTION
Fairness & Freedom for British Agriculture NO 8
NEWSLETTER- JULY 2001

EDITOR
David Handley
Tel 01291 690224
Mobile 077111 94947
Address re Newsletter correspondence:-Old Llanishen Farm,Llangovan, Monmouth,
Monmouthshire, South Wales, NP25 4BU
Fax: 01291690984
www.farmersforaction.fsnet.co.uk – E Mail:...
________________________________________________________________________
_
Firstly, wonderful news in that Cheshire co-ordinator Paul Ashley's daughter, Helen, had her kidney transplant on Saturday evening, the 7th July, at Manchester Children's Hospital and to date is doing very well. Many of you helped raise funds on the protest lines and at functions for the Half Pint Appeal which resulted in a presentation by Helen, to the Renal Unit at the Hospital . All our thoughts and prayers go out to this very brave little girl and her family for her successful recovery.
COMMITTEE CHANGES
At a recent committee meeting, two Vice Chairman were been appointed, Tom Houghton, Cheshire co-ordinator who will cover the North of the country and Kenton Honeybun, Wiltshire/Dorest co-ordinator, who will cover the South of the country. The decision to appoint two Vice Chairmen was taken as some members feel that there is a North/South divide within FFA. This is certainly not the case but with the membership growing as it is, the committee unanimously decided to make these appointments in order improve communication.

Tom Houghton, who is also our LabelWatch co-ordinator, was one of the leading lights in last September's fuel protest and played a vital role at the Stanlow Oil Refinery. He has been a valuable member of the committee since the formation of FFA and works extremely hard on the imported meat issue.
Kenton Honeybun has only been with FFA for a short while but during that time has made his presence known, He is a dairy farmer and a Council member of Milk Link, is very hardworking and articulate and understands the grassroot problems our industry is going through.
I am sure both Tom and Kenton will make excellent Vice Chairmen carrying through everything FFA stands for.
Paul Reynolds will continue in the difficult role as Treasurer. Paul is the key to make sure that we can pay all the bills, he does an excellent job and deserves the support of every single FFA member and co-ordinator.
David Handley was re-elected as Chairman.

Their telephone/fax numbers are as follows:
Tom Houghton Tel/Fax 01270 762006: Mobile 077642 22659
Kenton Honeybun Tel/Fax 01747 860314: Mobile 07970 131810
Paul Reynolds Tel 01249 652285: Fax 01249 443451: Mobile 07831 358131 Lets hope that in 12 months time we can turn around and see that we have made as many inroads this year as last.
FMD
It is so very disappointing to see that the saga of FMD continues. Daily we get more and more sinister information coming in of mishandling of the disease by all parties concerned, but at the end of the day the politicians seem to continue to blame farmers for biosecurity lapses, etc., FFA's view on this is that every farmer knows he must act responsibility and the majority do. We would urge all our members to be as vigilent as they have been and always will be. We would say to the Ministry and have written to DEFRA to this effect, that they must get their act together over biosecurity. Recently a photograph in a local paper showed slaughtermen on a farm in the Brecon area wandering around in ordinary working clothes, if DEFRA were doing their job correctly they would make sure that the people who carry out, what is a very difficult task, are clothed correctly and follow the regulations in a professional manner.
FFA are building up a dossier with other groups where we are pushing and will continue to push for a full enquiry. We have made a statement stating it should follow the same lines as 'Phillips' in being intense in its investigation but it needs a person to head it who is going to have teeth and certainly make sure that all the recommendations are engraved in a tablet of stone making sure, that unlike the Northumberland Report which appears to have been ignored by the government, the findings are acted upon if and when, this happens again. Everybody who represent farmers and the countryside, should get together and call for a full public enquiry and not allow this government in any way shape, nor form to sideshift this whole situation into some little backroom, internal debate where all the mistakes get brushed under the carpet. We intend to persue the enquiry with vigour and hope that every other organisation who say they represent our industry, do just this. There is no excuse whatsoever for any single individual group to do anything other than to keep demanding for a full and intense public enquiry into the handling of this disease.
The recent 'Despatches' programme on Channel 4, which some of you may have seen, gives us an insight into what has and is going on. That programme appeared to highlight 'passing the buck'. The time for passing the buck has got to stop. These programmes should tell the general public they should support a public enquiry because at the end of the day it is taxpayers money being used and certainly FFA feel that the taxpayer is entitled to see where their money has gone. We constantly see the government trying to maneavoure the media into a situation saying farmers are being well compensated. At the end of the day, the compensation is paid for the animal that has been compulsorarily purchased for slaughter by the government. Presently, there is no compensation for loss of income, in the case of dairy farmers 6 months loss of milk revenue. We read everyday in our newspapers compensation paid to criminals, to office workers for stress suffered – whatabout the stress the families and their children have been put through? what about the psychological aspect? – the young children living on farms who have seen the carnage that has taken place – losing animals that they have been brought up with.
We hear much about tourism – of course many farmers have diversified into tourism so again are suffering double blows not only from farming loss of income but also from their diversification and of course particularly in Cumbria and the South West.
We are giving these subjects our full commitment at FFA, are logging every piece of information and are channelling it to the right places to make sure that something gets done about it and we will continue to voice our opinions.
It was very good to see at our Honiton meeting (see report below) a vet who was prepared to come out and say what she had seen and her views on it. It was certainly an eye opening meeting and people such as Wendy Vere should be commended by the farming community for not only have they seen the carnage surrounding their own clients , but they have also had to see their own businesses suffer and now is the time to remind your vet who pays the bills and people like Wendy Vere and her colleagues who have spoken out, deserve the full support of the whole veterinary profession because at the end of the day, we are their customers.
MILK
Not too much to in this newsletter only that negotiations have started with the processors. We are certainly looking for a further 2p increase in the milk price in the coming price round and there is no reason why this cannot be achieved if those working on our behalf put their full commitment into making sure that this happens. We have an ideal opportunity, milk is tight and it looks from all the indicators that we have seen, will remain tight throughout the year. This should be sending out a very strong message to our dairy farmer members that we can control the supply of milk in the UK to a level where we get paid a reasonable return on labour employed and capital invested. This is no different a criteria to any other business in this country. We have a unique product, a captive customer base in 56m people and can supply them with top quality, high welfare, high hygienic standards but must get the message out that there is a cost involved. We should also as dairy farmers, pick up the phones to those who sell our products to the processors remind them to reiterate to the processors that if they don't pay a reasonable return for this product they will see the decline of this industry, leading in the long term the decline of their own businesses FFA will make sure that their shareholders are fully aware of this.
The supermarkets' response has been very good on the milk issue. They again have stated, as in the past, that they will accept a further increase, provided it can be shown to be justified, all the signs are there to show them that if they don't pay a further increase there is going to a drastic shortage of the product that they require, ie top quality British milk. The initiatives that are now being pushed forward by a number of milk co-ops must be good news for the dairy sector. The purchase of Aeron Valley by First Milk – their Board has to be commended for their hard work in this field. The new initiative set up by Milk Link – again they must be credited and dairy farmers in those areas who supply these organisations must support what these people are doing. But again in FFA's view they are all missing a golden opportunity – there is a major processor which once belonged to British dairy farmers and we were robbed of it. We must all be jointly fighting to get it back under our control. If the British dairy farmers in the UK once again owned Dairy Crest we could move forward in year 2001 at a greater rate than ever before. It would be an integrated co-operative that could benefit not only milk producers but all other sectors of our industry. It could be a multifaceted integrated co-op. It works in Europe there is no reason why it will not work in the UK, all it needs is for a mind change by the farmers of this country because we too could have the same level of livelihood as is experienced by our colleagues in the rest of Europe. There are those out there who have built up their own little mini empires and they do appear afraid of losing them. Nobody must be afraid of losing anything if it is in the long-term interest of every single British farmer. At the end of the day the only way we can deal with the big multi-nationals is to get into the same game and be as big and powerful. Governments understand big and powerful people. By now British farmers should see that and understand that if you stand as one you are listened to, if you stand as individuals you are basically pushed to one side.
It is all about the future of the next generation and generations to come and we owe it to them to make sure we have a system in place allowing us to become profitable once again and pass this profitability on to the next generation and their families.
Dairy Crest AGM – we would like as many members to attend to make our feelings known to this company and its shareholders we will not tolerate the way this company treats British dairy farmers. We also need to highlight to shareholders, this company was taken from us and we intend to take it back for the benefit of all instead of just a few. If you can attend, please notify your co-ordinator or the FFA office .
Venue: Chartered Accountants Hall, Moorgate Place, London EC2P (right next to Moorgate tube station) Time 11.00 am.
BEEF/SHEEP
This sector continues to experience severe problems. In the beef industry we are hearing daily of abattoirs who say they cannot move the produce to the supermarkets. When the abattoirs are questioned on this matter, they tell us that the supermarkets are reluctant to buy therefore they have to reduce their price because they are not being competitive. This is a very sad state of affairs, and again cannot be tolerated. The knock on effect again is hardest felt by the primary producer. Relating back to the milk situation this is again where FFA believes that an integrated Co-op on a larger scale than those being planned at the moment could benefit these sectors and the quicker we can instigate these, the better.
We are continuing to talk to the supermarkets but talktime is running out. The time is fast approaching when once again, we may have to resort our tried and tested method of direct action.
It is a sad day when we have to resort to these means, but we are fully prepared to do this if negotiations seem to be getting us nowhere and decisions will need to be made very, very shortly as to where we go on this issue. When the call is goes out, lets hope we can all stand shoulder to shoulder at the gateways to make supermarkets aware we are still here and this low pricing system will not be tolerated whilst British farmers go bankrupt.
On the sheep front, things again are looking very dire. Mass numbers of lambs are coming ready for the market but there doesn't appear to be a market available for all commodities. This is understandable – the smaller lamb we exported – the export market is closed. Again this must stand firmly in the hands of the government. They knew that this crisis would loom at the start of FMD and nothing appears to have been done to deal with the lambs coming off the hill in uplands areas. Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a market for them in the UK but we have done our bit within FFA. Some of you will have seen the article in the Farmers Guardian where Dairy Crest decided in their wisdom to promote New Zealand lamb on their doorstep milk delivery service. After intense negotiations with FFA and also I have to say with the very good assistance of John Thorley of the National Sheep Association, we were able to convince Dairy Crest that they must promote British lamb. They have agreed to do this which has got to be good news. Every avenue that we can use to promote this marvellous product should have everyone's efforts behind it.
All organisations should be pushing for the same thing, which is British produce should be first on any supermarket shelf, on any meat traders shelf and on everybody's dinner plate in this country. We should only be using imported produce to fill any void in the market where we cannot supply our customers with top quality British beef, lamb, poultry etc., These are the very customers who continually write letters and telephone FFA asking why cannot we find British products on our supermarket shelves. I am sure that if beef and sheep producers were paid a fair price, there would be no deficiency in place. Again, this is going to need a concentrated effort from everybody.
BEACON PROTEST
We mounted a very successful protest on the night of the election, asking everybody affected by the FMD crisis to light a Beacon at 10 pm throughout the country, primarily aimed at focusing on the governments mishandling of the epidemic and also the long delays being experienced by those affected in receiving compensation. Over 450 Beacons that we know of were lit countrywide, leaving many farms devoid of various unmentionable items, etc., on Election Day itself, just a shame various unmentionable politicians survived the day!!!! .
We now believe that the timescale in paying compensation has now reduced, and although this is probably due to more staff being drafted in rather than public opinion, we would like to think that we have done our bit to speed the process up.
REPORTS FROM REGIONAL MEETINGS
We recently started our first round of meetings since the FMD epidemic started. We feel now as long as we approach it with a great deal of common sense we can now start holding meetings throughout the country to promote FFA and British farming.
If you would like to organise a FFA meeting in your area, please let us know and we will come along. These meetings should be open meetings. You should be in a position to feel confident to invite members of the general public, we want them to know what FFA are doing – we want them to know we are also fighting for them as well as our industry, for without us working hand in hand, there will not be a future of our products.

Raglan meeting, Monmouthshire, South Wales – 19 June 2001
The first meeting took place in South Wales at Raglan in Monmouthshire. Guest speaker at the meeting was Mr Maurice Vellacott, our FFA co-ordinator from Exmoor who did a tremendous presentation on his views on Europe and how Europe are affecting British agriculture. Many local farmers turned up together with members of the general public. This was an excellent meeting with a very interesting debate on a wide range of issues, and there was something for everyone.
Honiton meeting, Devon – 27 June 2001
Maurice Vellacott Reports from Devon.
"The evening of the 27th Of June saw 50+ people turned up at the Mackarness hall in Honiton where we had arranged for Wendy Vere of the Lapford Chumleigh veterinary practice to speak on her experiences with FMD along with David Handley our FFA chairman and our FFA treasurer Paul Reynolds who seemed to have a good night fitting large ladies into small sweat shirts. He sells FFA logo clothing etc in case your wondering. Wendy Vere's disturbing accounts of her clients' experiences with FMD beggars belief. How in a so called civilised society men and women armed with bullets and paperwork can inflict cruelty, to kill livestock and pets without questioning the motive. I call it murdering animals and culling farmers. My heart goes out to those of you who have suffered intimidation and grief after dealings with these official thugs, I hope it comes back to haunt them! David Handley made it quite clear if we were to have any kind of livestock farming or even a future we would need to fight this together. Also the public need to be informed that their country without farmers and self sufficiency is a very vulnerable country, relying on imports of dubious quality and quantity is very worrying . I notice some members are taking being under house arrest after being culled very serious, another form of intimidation I suspect. Apparently there is a bit of room left in this newsletter, so I will tell you why I think British farmers aren't wanted.
In 1933 Hitler was chancellor of Germany. The way he ran Germany is being mirrored by this Labour government led by modern day Hitler, Blair. Having lost the war Hitler was told of a plan of how to rule the World. So in 1954 world bankers, businessmen, influential men and woman across the globe met to form the common market. The drive was for world power and to create a united state of Europe. Edward Heath took this country into the common market, knowing Britain would become part of federal Europe with Britain having no power to make it's own laws.
Being in the EU gives the world's multi national company's easy access to corporate greed and to exploit any EU country it wants.
Now this will take some believing. The rulers of the world or the faceless people behind the scenes have embarked on a policy to destroy Britain, it's culture, and it's sovereignty, its whole traditional way of life. They will destroy farming as they did with the coal, steel and fishing. To destroy farming it has needed the help of the multi nationals to whom we rely on for our income. While in the midst of destroying us they have moved into eastern block countries to exploit their cheap labour and fertile land. Tesco, Monsanto, Cargill are all ready in Poland. Poland by the way has as many farmers as the whole EU put together.
If you are in any doubt of the fact other countries will nick our production read the agenda 2000 proposals. It says some farmers will go out of business, but other countries farmers wanting to come in will take the production void left by those going out. It also makes reference to land abandonment.
Also it has been well documented in 1998, a deal was made, where our livestock industry would be wound down, leaving us with 3 core industries, insurance, tourism and finance.
I note the Rural White Paper has nothing to offer for farming, nor has the Devon recovery plan. There is no ministry for agriculture or fishing.
We are having to fight a monster, but David slayed Goliath with a pebble.Anyone in any doubt why we are being forced out of business, don't hesitate to call me
Any enquiries ring me 01598 740310 BYE FOR NOW"
Further meeting are being set up throughout the country and we look forward to meeting as many members as possible during our tour of the country. LIAISON MEMBERS
As our membership grows, it becomes increasingly difficult for the area co-ordinators to contact everybody when the need arises. (and it looks as though that need will soon become a reality). To
take the pressure off, we are looking for members to act as liaison contacts for their immediate area.
If you have access to a fax machine or e mail, we can then contact you directly with information to be passed on quickly. We don't know how successful the Telephone Tree system is but the bones are there, and it just needs to be utilised.
So if you have a fax or are on e mail, and are prepared to help liaise with members in your area please let us know by either faxing 01291 690984 or e mail ...
OBSTRUCTION CHARGES DROPPED
The charges that were brought against David Handley for allegedly obstructing the highway during a protest outside the Dairy Crest plant at Stonehouse, Gloucestershire back in February have now been dropped. The case was due to heard in June, (David having previously refused a caution , was later offered the option of being bound over, which he also refused as he was adamant he had not broken the law) but the case was withdrawn at the last moment due to lack of evidence!.
This is certainly a victory for all those who wish to peacefully protest but we must always be aware that we must behave responsibly as there are those out there who do target certain individuals and who also want FFA to disappear, which we most certainly will not do!
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
For those of you who have renewed, thank you for your continued support. Renewal forms are sent out during the month your membership falls due for renewal, and reminders are sent out following the month of renewal, as we know that many of you are very busy over the summer months and these things tend to get put to oneside.
Unfortunately, one or two individuals have taken offence at these reminders, which merely ask if you wish to renew, as if not, no further correspondence will be sent out by the end of that month but thanking you for your support in the past. As all of us who belong to other membership organisations know, this is common practice, not only as we do not wish to bombard people with information who no longer wish to be involved with FFA and we obviously want to curtail unnecessary expense re postage, stationery, etc., but we cannot function as a serious organisation if we do not know our committed membership base.
MEMBERSHIP LEAGUE TABLE
(Top ten counties for FFA members)
1) Devon, 2) Wiltshire, 3) Somerset, 4) Monmouthshire, 5) Hampshire, 6) Herefordshire,
7) Gloucestershire, 7) Cornwall, 9) Cheshire, 10) Leicestershire.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
BARN DANCE – Saturday 21 July
at Allington Bar Farm, Chippenham.
Live band – licensed bar – skittles.
Tickets £10 to include food
Tickets available from Paul Reynolds 01249 652285 or FFA office

FFA Meeting –
Tuesday 24th July 8pm at the Raleigh's Cross inn on the Brendon Hills nr. Taunton,
FFA Meeting –
Thursday 26 July 8 pm at The Village Hall, Briantspuddle, Dorchester
FOR SALE
Whole crop Header (Lucerne Header) 12' with John Deer brackets, will fit all machines.
85 tonne grain bin, round silo – good condition – open to offers – buyer dismantles.
Tel Tim Reynolds 01249 652285 (Chippenham) ________________________________________________________________________
_____4 horse/cattle lorry with living accommodation, cab access etc., Mounted on D reg non HGV VW/Man. Very tidy.
£8,000 o.n.o.
Range Rover vogue, G reg manual. 3ltr Isuzu diesel engine. Good condition £4,250 o.n.o.Tel. Lyndon Edwards 01291 622421 (Chepstow) ________________________________________________________________________
______
Replacement Holsteins
Swallowdale Holsteins – quality pedigree 9000 litre herd (from grass and cake) combined with high type. Champion Small Herd 2000, Holstein South & Wilts and Wilts Dairy Herds Comp.
21 month old bull currently for sale from EX94 12,000kg show winner. By La-Poe Shark, PL1 +£36.
See webside www.swallowdale-holsteins.co.uk or contact Chris Elmes (tel/fax 01793 814378) or email ... (Wilts) ________________________________________________________________________
_____
30 sucker cows & heifers with calves at foot.
Tel Watcyn Richards 01437 710401 (Pembs) _____________________________________________________________________
3y old 16'2 hh bay gelding. Bred to event by Gemsbok (intermediate) out of an intermediate mare.
His great,great granddam won Badminton horse trials in 1954 and also bred several advanced horses.
This very attractive gelding has recently been broken, has a lovely attitude and no hangups. He has good, rhythmic paces and excellent natural balance. Winner in hand as yearling,2 & 3 yr old. Hacks out on his own or in company. £3,000 Tel 07951 295329 (Monmouthshire) ________________________________________________________________________

Originally from: wieniaski
                        
What a good newsletter from FFA, I agree. How wonderful to know there are more of us out there.

My sister phoned just now to say that the Wilts and Glos Standard have published my letter. I won't put it on warmwell because it would seem like own-trumpet blowing...but here it is for you – a bt out of date because I sent it ten days ago:
...........................................

Foot and Mouth Crisis – Public debate during such crises "essential", said Phillips BSE enquiry.

Sir

You have mentioned my Internet website warmwell.com in the past two issues of your paper suggesting that it is a site existing to give graphic horror stories about ill treatment of some animals during the crisis. True – but the website – (and others like it, such as sheepdrove.com, farmtalking.com, cullmaff.com,
vets4vacs.co.uk and efrc.com and many others that I link to on my site ) – is equally concerned about the ill treatment being meted out to human beings; traditional farmers who still care about their livestock, smallholders and the rural communities. It attempts to counteract the secrecy surrounding the present policy. It gives the information so hard to find out through other more official channels. It warns about the worrying erosion of our civil liberties. Most of all – thanks to contributors far more well informed than I – it offers advice and support to beleaguered farmers who have the misfortune to find themselves in the vicinity of a so-called "Infected Premises" – which may well be nothing of the kind. As long ago as May 10th Andrew Veitch at Channel Four revealed that 40 percent of the 'confirmed' cases tested negative. On contiguous culls no animal is even tested. Farmers up and down the country have allowed their healthy stock to be killed without blood testing because they trusted that it was a necessary evil. Many still believe that it is.

After more than four months I am sick of the killing and the bullying, and sick to death also of the phrases repeated by government spokesmen like a mantra; "we must bear down", "we must not relax our guard", "pre-emptive strike", "these animals cannot be called 'healthy'" etc These animals, threatened by the barbaric and pointless "contiguous cull", CAN be called healthy. (They look less so after the teams have finished. Then the problems of disposal have to be dealt with. It is not so easy to get rid of the bodies of over 5 million cattle, sheep and pigs).

As for the veterinary input into this shameful affair, a member of the Council of the RCVS, Roger Windsor, spoke fearlessly to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons at their Council meeting on June 6th "... the College should have led the way in condemning what I call "postcode slaughter" – the indiscriminate and unnecessary slaughter of animals because of where they are, – and I have tried to prod the College to action, but the response, particularly from the Registrar has been that we must not offend MAFF" His very worrying speech can be read in full on the warmwell.com site.

One of the main findings of the Philips (BSE) inquiry was that "public debate during such crises was essential, that dissenting advice should be heard, that there should be full and open discussion". Here however, dissenting advice of the most expert kind (Professor Fred Brown O.B.E., Dr Simon Barteling, Dr Paul Sutmoller, Dr Donaldson, Dr Kitching – all internationally known for their knowledge of foot and mouth disease) has NOT been listened to and is hardly mentioned in the press. It is not surprising that so many people are uninformed. The warmell website (and others) does at least give a platform for dissenting voices – and much needed information to those who prefer not to swallow everything they are told by officials and by government.

The crisis has exposed serious weaknesses in the way scientific advice is sought and used by ministers. Prof Hugh Pennington of Aberdeen University is one of those who have criticised the lack of openness surrounding the selection of scientific committees that offer expert advice to the Government. The warmwell website not only throws light on the selection but questions the nature of that "expert" advice.

Christopher Thomas-Everard, who fought and won when his herd of pedigree cattle were threatened in Dulverton in May, said: "The situation Maff put us through was like being at war. Maff didn't tell us anything, we just heard everything through the media. It was dreadful." His words are still being echoed by many others today. Confirmed cases may be decreasing – but the relentless killing is not.

Yours faithfully

Originally from: wieniaski
                        
What a good newsletter from FFA, I agree. How wonderful to know there are more of us out there.

My sister phoned just now to say that the Wilts and Glos Standard have published my letter. I won't put it on warmwell because it would seem like own-trumpet blowing...but here it is for you – a bt out of date because I sent it ten days ago:
...........................................

Foot and Mouth Crisis – Public debate during such crises "essential", said Phillips BSE enquiry.

Sir

You have mentioned my Internet website warmwell.com in the past two issues of your paper suggesting that it is a site existing to give graphic horror stories about ill treatment of some animals during the crisis. True – but the website – (and others like it, such as sheepdrove.com, farmtalking.com, cullmaff.com,
vets4vacs.co.uk and efrc.com and many others that I link to on my site ) – is equally concerned about the ill treatment being meted out to human beings; traditional farmers who still care about their livestock, smallholders and the rural communities. It attempts to counteract the secrecy surrounding the present policy. It gives the information so hard to find out through other more official channels. It warns about the worrying erosion of our civil liberties. Most of all – thanks to contributors far more well informed than I – it offers advice and support to beleaguered farmers who have the misfortune to find themselves in the vicinity of a so-called "Infected Premises" – which may well be nothing of the kind. As long ago as May 10th Andrew Veitch at Channel Four revealed that 40 percent of the 'confirmed' cases tested negative. On contiguous culls no animal is even tested. Farmers up and down the country have allowed their healthy stock to be killed without blood testing because they trusted that it was a necessary evil. Many still believe that it is.

After more than four months I am sick of the killing and the bullying, and sick to death also of the phrases repeated by government spokesmen like a mantra; "we must bear down", "we must not relax our guard", "pre-emptive strike", "these animals cannot be called 'healthy'" etc These animals, threatened by the barbaric and pointless "contiguous cull", CAN be called healthy. (They look less so after the teams have finished. Then the problems of disposal have to be dealt with. It is not so easy to get rid of the bodies of over 5 million cattle, sheep and pigs).

As for the veterinary input into this shameful affair, a member of the Council of the RCVS, Roger Windsor, spoke fearlessly to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons at their Council meeting on June 6th "... the College should have led the way in condemning what I call "postcode slaughter" – the indiscriminate and unnecessary slaughter of animals because of where they are, – and I have tried to prod the College to action, but the response, particularly from the Registrar has been that we must not offend MAFF" His very worrying speech can be read in full on the warmwell.com site.

One of the main findings of the Philips (BSE) inquiry was that "public debate during such crises was essential, that dissenting advice should be heard, that there should be full and open discussion". Here however, dissenting advice of the most expert kind (Professor Fred Brown O.B.E., Dr Simon Barteling, Dr Paul Sutmoller, Dr Donaldson, Dr Kitching – all internationally known for their knowledge of foot and mouth disease) has NOT been listened to and is hardly mentioned in the press. It is not surprising that so many people are uninformed. The warmell website (and others) does at least give a platform for dissenting voices – and much needed information to those who prefer not to swallow everything they are told by officials and by government.

The crisis has exposed serious weaknesses in the way scientific advice is sought and used by ministers. Prof Hugh Pennington of Aberdeen University is one of those who have criticised the lack of openness surrounding the selection of scientific committees that offer expert advice to the Government. The warmwell website not only throws light on the selection but questions the nature of that "expert" advice.

Christopher Thomas-Everard, who fought and won when his herd of pedigree cattle were threatened in Dulverton in May, said: "The situation Maff put us through was like being at war. Maff didn't tell us anything, we just heard everything through the media. It was dreadful." His words are still being echoed by many others today. Confirmed cases may be decreasing – but the relentless killing is not.

Yours faithfully

Originally from: Joyce
                        
Excellent letter, Mary, so glad they printed it.
Joyce

Originally from: Hilary Peters
                        
Good letter.

I am sending all I can to the Legal Fund and urging others to do the same. But since my whole policy is to have no money, it is pathetically little. Can it really help?
Love,
Hilary