Kevin Littleboy
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
I DO not wish to appear paranoid, but I am not going to mention drilling or potato lifting until I have finished both this year.
So to other matters. The Thirsk bio-security area has been rescinded, giving much relief to all concerned. What is interesting, however, is that with all the extra police and officials patrolling this area I have suffered more from thieves and poachers riding about the fields than in previous years. One thief nicked the safety chains from the combine. So if anybody finds poachers using Claas dog chains, throttle them for me please.
Numerous members of the public, not related to agriculture, have commented on how clean and tidy all the farming vehicles are now looking, and hasnt British Agriculture improved its image. Food must be better produced and safer to eat, they reason. My only concern is how long this perception will remain.
I am amazed how far this government has gone to politicise the civil service. Governmental protocol used to mean political speeches made by ministers were never published on departmental websites. So imagine my surprise at finding the Labour Party conference speech made by Margaret Beckett, secretary of state for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on the DEFRA web-site.
The speech shows how far the words agriculture, farming, marketing and profitability have declined in importance. Needless to say the words foot-and-mouth warranted one short sentence.
In a world of deteriorating standards of service, it is a pleasant surprise to find there are still people who work above and beyond the call of duty – namely certain individuals at North Yorkshire Trading Standards.
On entering the new animal movement licensing centre, I was bemused to find directly in front of me a large shackle bolted to the skirting board and an eye bolt drilled into the floor. Apart from the mind boggling at who the previous occupant of the office was, I can only presume it is farmers who will now be shackled, until they learn how to fill out the forms neatly and correctly. *
Clean machines to minimise foot-and-mouth risks seem to have convinced the public that farming has cleaned up its act. But how long will this perception persist, wonders Kevin Littleboy.