Archive Article: 2001/08/24
• THE Countryside Restoration Trust has described growers who cut hedges in August as hooligans. It is dismayed to see how many hedges are being cut because it destroys food and shelter for wildlife through the winter. Tim Scott, tenant on the CRTs model farm in Cambs, said: "There is no farming reason to flail out ditches and hack away at hedges at this time of year. It is bad farming and often it is simply peer pressure – farmers copying their neighbours."
• THE Country Land and Business Association has warned farmers who have received foot-and-mouth compensation cheques to be on the alert for unscrupulous salespeople. Producers who have been culled out have reported an increase in cold callers offering them investment opportunities. The suspicion is salespeople are using the DEFRA web-site to target farmers because they have seen stories about large compensation cheques. The CLA is advising producers to take professional advice before investing.
• ANTHONY Gibson, NFU regional director for south-west England, sent a postcard to Tony Blair thanking him for holidaying in Cornwall. But he added: "You could do even more if you gave us in the south-west as much support for F&M recovery and tourism marketing as the Welsh get." The Welsh Assembly has made £65m available for a rural recovery package compared to the south-wests £11.5m. *