Lowland suckler man slams lack of answers
Lowland suckler man slams lack of answers
LABOURS claim to be the Party of the countryside is just a joke, says lowland suckler herd champion Richard Haddock, after farm minister Jack Cunningham refused to answer his questions at the NFUs fringe meeting at the Labour conference.
"The NFU invited about 70 Labour MPs to the meeting. Only four turned up including the minister, and then he had the cheek to say Labour wanted to work in partnership with farmers. Id say the poor turnout showed Labour doesnt give a toss about farmers or the countryside," Mr Haddock said.
Green £ revaluations
He suggested to the minister that if the cabinet was paid in ecus, he might have more understanding of the impact that green £ revaluations had on incomes. And he said governments failure to recognise the plight of lowland suckler herds meant they were being destroyed by the grossly unfair over-30-month weight ceiling.
"The minister answered no question directly. When I asked about OTMS compensation for lowland suckler culls he replied about over-30-month steers.
"He gave us 15min of questions, but no answers and left immediately. If he genuinely wants partnership then we want to see him on our farms seeing the problems weve got."
Country people
Mr Haddock now fears that the minister is listening only to MAFF officials, who have their own agenda, and not to country people who are adversely affected by his decisions.
"They dont seem to understand that without farmersthe countryside, which taxpayers apparently appreciate andwant, will disappear. For example, what will keep the cliff topsgrazed down if lowland sucklers are forced out? And where willthe grass-only lowland areas be without sucklers, now that over-30-month fattening cattle are considered unfit for human food?" heasked.