Livestock market at top of council agenda

3:16pm Wednesday 2nd July 2008

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Thanks to all those who attended the meeting at Ryedale Council offices last Thursday.

Although the public were not allowed to speak, the presence of so many market supporters conveyed the strength of feeling within the rural community.

The report of the much criticised strategy steering group was presented by Keith Knaggs, the leader of the council, and various resolutions came out of it: 1 The recommendations in the report relating to both policy matters and procedure be referred back to officers for their consideration and further report.

2 Crucially, and quite specifically, the question of the livestock market was declared to be a subject which the council should consider and explore every option available in order to retain the market presence in Ryedale.

At last we seem to have acceptance that the market either on its present site or relocated has to be at the top of any development strategy for Malton; and we must ensure that it stays as number one priority.

My concern is looking at where we go from here and I personally would like to see the strategy group continue with better defined terms of reference and less domination by councillors.

For all those who have attended the meetings it has been a useful forum in which to express and exchange views but has suffered from the inflexibility of public authority regulation.

Last Thursday’s meeting left the future of the strategy group up in the air without either shutting it down or providing more terms of reference.

I think all those consultees who gave up time are entitled to know where we go next.

Her majesty to visit Yorkshire Show.

This year is the 150th anniversary of the Great Yorkshire Show and Her Majesty the Queen will mark the occasion with a four hour visit next Thursday.

As part of her tour her majesty will look at a display of Cleveland Bays – Yorkshire’s own native breed of horse, which will be put on in the Ridings Ring at around 11am.

There is a strong Royal connection with the Clevelands as the famous bays occupy special stalls within the Royal Mews and pull the carriages on state occasions.

In addition, Her Majesty has a small breeding stud of Clevelands at Hampton Court and the display this year will include descendants of her famous stallion Mulgrave Supreme, which stood at Max Abram’s Farm, Buskhill, Leavening.

Supermarket price war.

I don’t think it is good news for farmer suppliers but both Tesco and Asda have announced their intention to implement savage price cuts in an attempt to win back customers who have switched to other discount retailers.

Tesco for example will chop 50 per cent off the price of 3,000 items this week; and Asda is to launch a weekend price cutting spree on 10 basic essentials such as bread and eggs.

All the recent cosy chat about supporting British farmers could go out of the window as the big boys return to their totally profit driven ways.

New cattle society to be launched at GYS.

Over the last 20 years there has been growing interest in the showing of commercial beef cattle and the line-up at even the most modest rural show is a tribute to both breeder and feeder.

Next week at the Great Yorkshire Show a new organisation called the Commercial Show Cattle Society will be officially launched and will be open to anybody who has an interest in commercial beef cattle.

If you are going to the show this year why not have a look down the cattle lines.

Uncertain cereal market.

David Sheppard of Gledalls has realistically pointed out that markets continue to be driven by the weather conditions in the United States which currently are pretty moderate with heavy floods in the mid west, where traditionally around a third of the world’s wheat is grown.

The market remains very difficult to predict and prices are extremely volatile.

If the North American weather improves then replanting could recoup some of the losses. Nevertheless, the pundits are still predicting a record world wheat crop of 650 million tonnes.

Nearer to home the European harvest looks to be pretty enormous and will create some massive pressure at harvest.

Feed wheat is trading at £135-£140 per tonne with barley some £10 less. OSR is holding its own hovering around £340 to £350 per tonne. There will be some interesting decisions to make.

Jeff Rooker named as minister of year.

I have said before in this column that Lord Rooker is the only man in the Labour Government who seems to stick up for farming interests and he has now been crowned as Minister of the Year in the House of Lords awards.

Jeff Rooker has been consistently outspoken in favour of a badger cull although he has not yet managed to convince the wishy washy Hilary Benn; and he has also been highly critical of supermarket power.

Our congratulations to him.

Market report.

Forward 97 cattle including 24 bulls and 16 cows 830 sheep including 103 ewes light steers to 154p E Mackley Folkton heavy steers to 191p D R Jackson Carnaby ave 167.7p light heifers to 164p J B Heath Staxton ave 154.5p medium heifers to 180p J & R Waind Brawby ave 159.2p heavy heifers to 198p G I Marwood Harome ave 161.3p light bulls to 169p M D Medd Sawdon ave 163p heavy bulls to 185p M T Bulmer Salton ave 164.2p OTMs to 120p O J Barker Snainton ave 101.5p standard lambs to 165.3p D Whittaker Marishes ave 142.4p medium lambs to 158.3p R Green Pickering ave 140.4p heavy lambs to 155.3p R Green Pickering ave 141.4p heavy hoggets to 92.2p J G Prince Ayton ave 79.6p overweight hoggs to 86.4p G Dent Harwood Dale ave 80p Ewes to £77 A J Beckitt Marton ave £48.90.