Heard a rumour from a usually unimpeachable source that DEFRA are keeping an access corridor BT control free down the west coast so that in the worst case scenario Tesco can get access to scottish livestock. Not sure how the logic of this works, any ideas anyone?

As there's nothing to stop livestock from Scotland entering either a Surveilance Zone or a Protection Zone, it doesn't seem to make any sense at all.

Jacobus:

it doesn't seem to make any sense at all.

Unless you want to curry favour.

hareley farmer:

Heard a rumour from a usually unimpeachable source that DEFRA are keeping an access corridor BT control free down the west coast so that in the worst case scenario Tesco can get access to scottish livestock. Not sure how the logic of this works, any ideas anyone?

What's the 'worse case scenario'? That nobody will eat anything except Scottish livestock??

 If DEFRA’s disease control policies are being influenced by Tesco it must be illegal and needs exposing but I think more likely it is your source that needs impeaching.

  A few weeks ago there was a lot of ‘informed reports’in the farming press about Hilary Benn being on the way out at DEFRA and unlikely to make any decision on a badger cull before he went – they don’t look quite so informed now.  

I agree with Jacobus the corridor does not make sense,however the stench of politics is in the air in the way the protection zone is being rolled out.

In the plan of priority areas laid out in April, the plan was to work out from the South East. It must have been political the way part of Wales jumped ahead of Glos and Worcs and Herefordshire in the queue. Now from Monday we have North Yorkshire in the zone and Herefordshire boxed in with only Shropshire for company in the surveillance zone. One vet told me that North Yorkshire is coming in to provide a buffer for Scotland who are saying that they are going to compulsory vaccinate. I feel that no one is batting for Herefordshire as counties with less risk are allowed the vaccine first.  Also annoyed that false information was telephoned to Herefordshire farmers and that the information was not corrected when the mistake came to light.

If North Yorkshire are the buffer for Scotland where does that leave Cumbria and Northumberland which are in between yorkshire and Scotland. I have heard nothing of when we will get our vaccine. In the meantime I am feeding my sheep garlic to help keep the flies away. This was passed onto me by a farmer with a lot more experience than me and my thoughts are that anything is worth trying until the vaccine gets here.

If the item on Jimmy's Farming Heroes is any thing to go by you'll also be reducing their methane output!