Carcase collection decision postponed (From Gazette & Herald)

Carcase collection decision postponed

THE whole situation surrounding fallen stock on farms is chaotic, even by this Government's standards; and yet again, Elliot Morley's bully boy tactics seem to have backfired.

He gave farmers a generous 17 days in which to respond positively to the Government's offer to set up a national collection scheme at subsidised rates and threatened that unless 50pc of farmers responded positively, the offer would be withdrawn leaving farmers to pay for their own disposal in full.

By the closing date last week, there seemed to be all sorts of rumblings in the Whitehall corridors about insufficient time which resulted in the deadline being extended to this week.

I rang the NFU yesterday morning and they confirmed that a lot of pig and poultry producers haven't even received the necessary form because the DEFRA lists were incomplete.

Add to this the fact that the law banning burial on farms has not yet passed through parliament and you will be forgiven for not knowing where we stand at the moment.

In short, the EC directive banning farm burial came in to force on May 1, but there is no corresponding British statute to make it effective.

The national collection scheme hangs in the balance but, in any case, will not operate until August.

Mr Morley promised enforcement with "a light touch" but DEFRA has offered its own interpretation of the statement by saying it will only apply to farmers in remote upland areas with no other means of disposal.

Finally, and with laudable courage, the National Beef Association has advised its members until the new statute is in place to carry on as before. You can imagine that this advice, however correct, has gone down like a lead balloon with DEFRA which has branded the NBA as irresponsible.

The next act of the soap opera will be in a week's time.

David Sheppard has sent me an encouraging note about cereals.

UK cereal prices and area aid payments have been significantly boosted by the recent fall in the value of sterling as against the euro.

The exchange rate used for arable aid payments is calculated by taking the average daily exchange rate between sterling and the euro throughout the month of June; and at current rates, farmers can look forward to a significant increase in their IACS payment compared to last year.

For the same reason, price for corn has hardened, with feed wheat now hovering around the £70 mark.

As to this season's crops, they generally look a lot better with the recent rains; and the prophets of doom who are forecasting a drought-ravaged UK have been proved wrong again.

Every time there is talk of a drought, David recalls the comment of an elderly and learned gentleman farmer who reminded him that "wheat is a weed and a desert weed at that".

I printed a week or two ago a story that had been given to me about Ryedale District Council parting company with ecologist Martin Hammond.

The council through Julian Rudd, its conservation manager, has strongly denied the rumour and a paragraph to this effect was printed last week.

For my part, I put the record straight now with an apology, and having had a word with Julian yesterday, I can report that a new ecologist is in the pipeline for appointment and that he will pass the news on when its made.

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Max Abram last week at the age of 73 years; and our sympathy goes to Jean and the family.

The Abrams lived at Busk Hill Stud, Leavening, where Max set up one of the most successful horse studs in the country, lasting for over 40 years.

Since acquiring his first HIS stallion, Weathercock, in 1962, Max stood 43 premium horses at Busk Hill and, at the height of horse-breeding fashion in the 1980s, there could be 400 mares visiting the farm.

Max also maintained a strong interest in Yorkshire's Cleveland Bay breed and stood Her Majesty's stallion, Mulgrave Supreme, for many years.

He was on the ruling bodies of both the HIS and Cleveland Bay Society.

Although a modest man, he was one of the nation's leading horse judges and officiated at all the major shows, including twice in Dublin and once in America.

The funeral service will be at St Peter's Church, Norton, at 11am on Thursday, May 15.

I told you at the end of last year that the Cook family was building a new market at Stratford-on-Avon and my Midlands correspondent, Anthony Sootheran, wrote to tell me that the official opening was last Tuesday, May 6.

I know the auctioneer, Craig Thompson, who came from the north-west and I rang him this week to see how it was going.

He was quite delighted with the operation and had had about 50 fat cattle and 1,000 sheep on each of the first two fatstock days.

Trade had been decent, and there was a real buzz about the new premises. They have also started a store sale and had 120 entered on the first market.

Some time this summer, I am going to take a bit of time off to go and have a look for new ideas in Malton.

Forward on Tuesday were 91 cattle including 41 bulls, 1,428 sheep including 759 lambs and 290 ewes.

Steers, light to 111p from G Morley, Marishes (ave 97.7p), heavy to 106p from J M Bulmer, Kirkbymoorside (88.4p). Heifers to 133p from G I Marwood, Harome (106.8p), heavy to 137p from G I Marwood (101.3p). Bulls to 106p from M Sunley, Farndale (94.6p), heavy to 103p from A R Poole, Harewood Dale (93.2p), black and white to 82p from M A Welford, Weaverthorpe (79.3p).

Standard lambs to 189.4p from F A Murray, Lone Farm (176.9p), medium lambs to 191.2p from T B Bratley, Lilling Hall (178.1p), heavy lambs to 178.2p from J M Bell, West Lutton (164.4p). Light hoggets to 145.1p from P R Ball, Seaton (138.1p), standard hoggs to 152.7p from J R Hicks, Cawton (142.9p), medium hoggs to 155.5p from N A Thompson, Sneaton (139.7p), heavy hoggs to 155.8p from P Raines & Son, Stonegrave (132.3p), overweight hoggs to 158.4p from P Raines & Sons, Stonegrave (129.2p); ewes to £61.50 from C Beal, Yedingham (£42.02p).

Updated: 14:22 Wednesday, May 14, 2003