Carla counts cost of calves

31 January 2001



Carla counts cost of calves

By FWi staff

COMEDY writer Carla Lane claims she is going through lean times because farmers offloaded calves on her West Sussex animal sanctuary.

Since the 15 animals were dumped the writer of TV comedies such as Bread and The Liver Birds, she says they have cost her 25,000.

“Ever since that stunt in 1999 Ive been losing money fast,” Ms Lane told the Daily Express.

The animals were offloaded at the end of the Calf Processing Aid Scheme (CPAS), when the value of black-and-white bull calves dropped to 1 at markets.

Many farmers could not afford to take the animals to market, and were looking to slaughter male calves at birth.

Four Somerset farmers left their calves with Ms Lane to highlight their plight and because none wanted to shoot their stock.

• Farmers dump dairy calves on Carla Lane, FWi, 12 August, 1999
  
• Daily Express 31 January, 2001 page 57