Archive Article: 2000/03/03
Kevin Littleboy
Kevin Littleboy farms 243ha
(600 acres) as Howe
Estates at Howe, Thirsk, N
Yorks. The medium sandy
loam in the Vale of York
supports potatoes, winter
wheat, rape and barley, plus
grass for sheep
HAVING sharpened the hedge-cutter, dug the 30-year-old hedge-back plough and rusting excavator out of the nettles, March will be the month that trees, hedges and wildlife habitats are customised for the new IACS rulings on field boundaries.
It is barmy that this new EU-led decision should destroy the huge effort of wildlife sensitive farmers to plant, trim and resize hedges over recent years. I have had the whole farm surveyed by Premier Design Surveys, Thirsk, using "laser workstations", the most accurate system of measurement I could find and certainly surpassing any wheel or OS map. This new ruling seems certain to cause a few headaches this year and I am glad that MAFF and the NFU are seeking urgent "clarification" on this matter. Surely 99.9% of farmers are not dishonestly appropriating EU funds?
The potato trade this year has truly become a consumer rather than a production world. We all know the strong £ has devastated processing, but in the wholesale packing trade that is not the case.
There is simply a surplus of unwanted and unmarketable potatoes, but a severe shortage of quality. Of the total crop, 40% are planted without an intended market, and numerous varieties are planted that the consumer has never heard of and so wont buy. That is exemplified by the fish shop trade and supermarkets now preferring selected quality imports from Cyprus and Egypt at £10 and £7.20 for a 20kg bag, respectively. Demand is such that the imports are being rationed.
Recently I overheard a customer trying to get a refund on a pure woollen jumper in a clothing shop. It had shrunk in a hot wash followed by tumble dryer, which makes me wonder just how many food labels are actually read and abided by.
Not only is everything so clinically clean today that no one has enough immunity, if labels are not read it is no wonder food poisoning and allergies are rising. *
MAFFchanges to field boundary rules are ludricous, says Yorks grower Kevin Littleboy.