Archive Article: 2001/03/09
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
party were present and 10 Lib Dems.
When Michael Jack (Con) remarked on this, a government whip was dispatched to the tearooms to round up a few MPs. Clearly, the Prime Ministers concern over the disease wasnt matched by that of his colleagues, judging by the row upon row of empty seats in camera view.
The Labour areas initially represented were Bolton West, Tamworth, Newcastle North, Chorley, Scarborough, Pendle, Falmouth, Stroud, Monmouth, Blyth Valley, Carmarthen West, Warwick and Stoke North. So farmers, if your MP wasnt present when a national disaster was being discussed, I should ask where the blazes were they?
One thing that this dreadful foot-and-mouth disease episode has brought to the fore is the value of the internet for information. Congratulations to the internet news services for breaking the story and alerting all farmers.
The newsgroup uk.business.agriculture has been an invaluable source of expert opinion and practical information. I, for one, have absolutely no recollection of the previous outbreak, so had no idea even what to look for.
Talking of the internet, Globalfarmers excelled themselves by using free 500g packets of Cornflakes to promote the NTL/Globalfarmers joint venture. How very British, promoting maize which, of course, we grow a lot of in these isles! Try Weetabix next time – it may do something to help British agriculture. Mind you, I wont be receiving my free foreign food parcel. The site is so slow at present that when I try to register it crashes or freezes my computer.
One final point. On phoning the powers that be recently, a farmer was told that a ewe in labour doesnt constitute an animal in distress. Try telling the female population that labour isnt stressful! *
Was your MP in the House of Commons for the foot-and-mouth debate, asks Kevin Littleboy.