June 2008 - Posts
I'm writing this from the Nelson Mandela at 90 Concert here in Hyde Park. Having just seen Nelson Mandela on stage handing the baton on to others to fight oppression and REAL human rights abuses.
He is one of the greatest men of our generation. His Supporters created a sea change of opinion throughout the world. Nelson Mandela had the courage of his convictions to stand up for what he believed was right. I know for sure I couldn't have indured half of what Nelson Mandela did in jail. Let alone go on to run the country once having been released from jail.
Morgan Tsvangirai could do the same if he wasn't so afraid of being killed rather than just to be thrown in Jail as Nelson Mandela was.
Things like this do put our own trouble with Defra and the RPA in perspective. Although it sometimes seems like it might take just as long to get our point understood.
The Concert has just finished with a Queen medley and of course "Free Nelson Mandela." Fantastic!!
The Government has announced it's policy for Renewable Energy. The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has outlinned the Governments targets for Renewable Energy of 15% by 2020.
However, as was pointed out on the BBC News Channel, Gordon Brown arrived in his Priministerial Jaguar, that doesn't exactly have the highest of Green Credentials.
With Oil at $130 a barrel the UK economy is in great danger. Agriculture has a large part of it's inputs are fossil fuel based. There has to be a reduction in the dependency on OIl. Low Carbon Energy has to come to the fore. According to Gordon Brown, Britain could have a million people employed in environmental jobs in the next few years.
He also announced that all new homes must zero carbon by 2016 and commercial premises by 2019. Will this have an impact on Agricultural buildings?
There will be 3000 offshore wind turbines by 2020
Waste and Biomass energy is to be promoted, with barriers to access to the National Grid, so that surplus energy can be sold, to be reduced.
There will be incentives to install Low Carbon Energy Schemes. These will be announced at a later date. Will Defra utilise more of the National Modulation as the incentives for Low Carbon Energy?
The planning system is also to change so that renewable energy schemes are easier implement. Less of the NIMBYism slowing progress.
However, The devil is always in the detail and how it works at a local level. The government wants to spend the next 2 years talking about these green plans. Surely we need to start immediately investing in renewable energy. Will the new technology be cost effective to install. I'm sure that it will very shortly, especially if the oil price keeps rising at current levels.
Reported recently in Farmers Weekly a whole Herd of 83 Healthy Pedigree Guernsey cattle were slaughtered. They were all killed because of ONE reactor following skin tests, against 88 positives, (All Clear) for the gamma-interferon blood test.
This was just a waste of effort. Not to say soul destroying for the farmer whose lifes work it was. It seems to me a total waste.
Maybe someone can help me out here? Do Badgers carry TB but are not infected themselves? Has there been any clinical studies into the effects of TB on the Badgers themselves?
Most people can console themselves to farming practices so long as the animals have been treated well and had a good life. I'm in no way suggesting that these cattle did not have a good life, I am questioning whether they were killed unnecessarily? Most of Joe Public would not be happy with that.
The Badger Trust has worked it to their advantage. Engaged in a publicity campaign to get Joe Public on their side. British Agriculture has yet again shyed away from publicity instead of using it to encourage the outcome it needs.
DEFRA has put off the cull of badgers time and again. Whilst it hasn't admitted as much it has all but said that "public outrage would cost them votes." The government cannot afford the loss of votes from any quarter at the moment. It's time to make an advantage.
The public will be no less appalled at the needless slaughter of cattle that fail an unproven test. We cannot campaign against the slaughter of cattle that do carry the disease, but we must campaign for an even handed approach to erradicate this disease which costs the industry and the taxpayer alike. It is time to eradicate this disease and protect farming and wildlife.
There are plenty of younger people out there who'd like to train to farm, but they can't afford to.
The invitation has been sent out by UK Agriculture plc but is there anyone there to welcome you in?
To find out more, read Talking Point in this weeks (30th May 2008) hard copy Farmers Weekly.