READERS LETTERS
26 June 1998
READERS LETTERS
Dont let the supermarts pick us off
We have heard about girl power, lets talk about farmer power to beat our enemy – the supermarket.
Supermarkets realised in March 1996 that without the beef export trade they have an opportunity to destroy our only ally, the cattle auction market. Supermarkets know that they must cut the throughput in cattle markets to a dribble before the export trade resumes.
They have done this by setting up producer clubs and so-called partnerships offering fantastic bonuses which we cannot presently refuse. The supermarkets know if they offer these rewards for four years, like milk companies did after de-regulation in 1994, they will have the ultimate long-term prize – control of beef prices forever.
The cost to the supermarkets offering the rewards is negligible when Tesco earns profits of £800m. But we will lose everything.
We are all at fault for looking after our short-term needs first and not thinking long-term by not supporting the cattle markets. We must be prepared to pay for the auctioneers service knowing they are more likely to fight our corner rather than dealing direct with supermarkets.
If the price of beef goes down it is not the supermarkets which reduce their 40% margin but it is us farmers who must take the price cut.
If the present looks bleak, look what has happened elsewhere in the world where there is no alternative to selling direct to abattoirs. In New Zealand recently, 12 meat companies were accused of price-fixing. That is our future.
We have two years left in which to fight back. We must say no to direct marketing and sell through cattle auction markets or independent deadweight middlemen. We must increase the present numbers of cattle going through markets from 45% to 60%.
It will hurt because the supermarkets will increase their bonuses to try to pick us off. But we should think about the long-term and stick together which we have never done before. We must show the supermarkets farmer power.
S Lowe
Manor Farm, Taunton, Somerset.
Beefing about BMW advert
I was disgusted to see a recent BMW advert in The Daily Telegraph with the caption "Beef Import From Germany". I found this in bad taste and suggest farmers making decisions to purchase new cars should take this advert into consideration when making their choice.
I recently collected my car from the Fly & Drive car park at Heathrow, to see parked nearby, a new blue BMW (R495 BBW), sporting a Keep Britain Farming sticker and found this not amusing and rather hypocritical.
Neville * Walker
Moores Farm, 4 Main Street, Orlon on the Hill, Warks.
Vital to back stock auctions
Supermarket comments that the days of the livestock market are coming to an end and future tie-ups with their organisations can only produce better beef and an assured future for the livestock farmer is complacent and hypocritical.
The current situation, when they are the main buyers of beef with only minor opposition to compete with, must seem like paradise. With Northern Ireland now free to compete on the world market and the relaxation of restrictions on British beef becoming ever nearer, what will their thinking be then?
Of course, our re-entry onto the world market will not be welcomed with open arms. We shall need all help possible, especially from the livestock market auctions where, should your cattle not make within reason a return which you expected, they can always return home to be presented another day. That is unlike the deadweight trade where the producer loses control of his stock immediately and all he has to do is await payment.
With the large number of cattle being held on farms awaiting this great day, it is only the auction organisations with their years of experience, together with the loyal support of the buyers and dealers that has always put a firm base into auction sales, which will be able to deal with the volume of livestock coming forward.
The idea of todays farm assured schemes, together with the supermarket groups, plus all the bureaucracy that this entails, would appear to be an ideal solution for the short-term.
When it becomes a control-free market and the price reaches its correct level and other buyers are competing on the market, the outlook for livestock producers can only improve.
Without in any way being unfairly critical of the current main buyers of beef, I wonder why, when they have been in business for many years, that the idea of producer contracts had not occurred to them earlier. Obviously the advent of BSE has made it so much easier for them.
At the same time why is it that the agricultural spokesman for a certain supermarket is so against livestock auctions when I know for sure that he happens to be the son of a working farmer? Never before have I heard him talk in this manner.
All I hope is that the existing auction markets can long remain in business. They have served us well and, with the advent of BSE, have suffered the same as producers. Life can only get better if the farmers support for auction markets are genuine as they are so vital to our future.
John F Christian
Winterpick Farm, Plummers Plain, Horsham, West Sussex.
Welsh must show unity
I recently attended a farmers mass meeting, where the agenda was to discuss the crisis in Welsh agriculture, and what self-help steps could be implemented.
As the evening progressed it became apparent that in the room of like-minded, struggling farmers from the same background and community, existed big divisions which will ultimately lead to our self destruction.
I implore the farmers of Wales that it doesnt matter if you farm sheep on the highest peak, or own the best lowland dairy farm, the crisis and future of Welsh agriculture does not stop at the top of your farm lane.
For the duration of this crisis, and for the sake of unity, it is time to forget our allegiances to one particular union, political Party, or one form of farming. Every single farmer is as important as the next and until we can banish this individualistic approach we will fail to show a united and forceful front to the government.
I am not so naive as to think that every farmer can agree with all others all the time. That would be detrimental to a vibrant and developing industry. But when we show our public front it must be united.
If we are to learn anything from this Labour government it is the way they stage manage their public front. Stand up as one community, unite under one banner, and walk tall again as your way of life deserves. United we stand, divided we fall.
Brian Thomas
Llwyncelynlan, Pembrokeshire.
Assurance vital in real world
I have noted recently all the negative comments concerning farm assurance. Do these individuals appreciate that we operate in a global market and that times have changed?
Criticisms levelled against the scheme and the NFU, which is trying to develop it, are undeserved. Im sure all those involved wish it was not required.
But we, as an industry, must accept that it is part of the evolution of the modern world. Quality assurance exists in all areas of manufactured goods as well as in the service industries.
It is important for UK farmers to realise that the food industry is controlled by a handful of companies worldwide. Modern transport systems enable processors to source raw product to their specification from all parts of the world. If UK farmers do not meet those specifications there are plenty of others that will. That would be to our loss and their gain.
Just in case anyone thinks farm assurance is just for us, they are mistaken. I was prompted to write this after reading an article concerning cut flowers from Kenya in The Farmers World Network Landmark magazine. The Kenya Flower Council has recently been set up to audit worker welfare, production and environmental standards which encompass small and large growers.
Recent conversations with American, Australian and New Zealand farmers have confirmed the development of farm assurance schemes as well as environmental and animal welfare standards.
R M Stirling
Farm director, The Manydown Company, Wootton St Lawrence, Basingstoke, Hampshire.
Another nail in the coffin?
Could someone explain what will happen to farmers who cannot comply with the Assured Combineable Crops Scheme? For example, those farmers unable to provide correct storage facilities etc.
What if their farms are unable to comply because of planning regulations or financial pressures?
Add to this even more bureaucratic administration and regulations and it sounds like the prescription for the further demise of farms and farmers especially if they are small-scale producers.
C S Butcher
Townsend House Farm, All Cannings, Devizes, Wilts.
Check verifiers very carefully
I have been following the debate concerning ACCS.
John Errington, manager of Heathcote Farms, Beds said he believed it is wrong to use people for the verification visits who havent been successful in the agricultural sphere in the past (Arable, May 15).
I fully support his views and suggest that the scheme organisers should check carefully references given by applicants and ensure that bankrupt tenant farmers are not employed as verifiers.
Arthur Sherriff
Denham Park Farm, Marish Lane, Denham, Uxbridge, Middlesex.
GM arguments wishful thinking
I hope the recent increase in Monsantos size and influence (Business, Jun 5) will be matched by a proportionate decrease in that firms insufferable arrogance (News, May 29).
Many of its newest biotech products are unproven, as are many of its arguments for them. All are based more on commercial wishful thinking than on sound science.
Many of us would not use these products even if they were free because of their actual or potential damage to agricultural ecosystems. Unfortunately, national governments are indifferent to such concerns.
When land is farmed with traditional skills, chemical herbicides are unnecessary. So why does anyone need herbicide-tolerant plants? Or are farmers content to hand over control of both their production and their marketing to multinational corporate powers?
Many of us do not welcome the anticipated takeover of world agriculture and food trade by chemical and pharmaceutical corporations. Having been taken over financially, how long before Monsantos hype-based arguments are also overwhelmed by the accumulated wisdom of 100 centuries of successful, sustainable organic and natural farming?
Where are all these incompetent and unskilled farmers (including millions of subsistence farmers struggling in marginal conditions) who have so little confidence in their own well-proven traditional husbandry and seed-saving skills that they are allegedly prone to become dependent on the unfulfillable promises of self-serving corporate Johnny-come-latelies such as Monsanto.
It isnt as if these corporations are able to offer us anything we need.
Stuart Pattison
Church Lane, Calstock, Cornwall.
Anti-hunt letter was not mine
I refer to your letter (Mar 20) entitled "Ban Hunting, it clouds the issue." Although the letter was attributed to me, I did not write it and I am not against hunting.
The person or organisation that found the need to hide behind my name and address are obviously afraid to put their opinion forward. Perhaps they were trying to discredit me. Either way, what a shame some sick people have to resort to such measures.
A Johnston
Murrain Place Farm, Detling Hill, Maidstone, Kent.
Where is NFUs EUleadership?
The latest outburst in your columns (News and Business, May 15) by the NFUs Sion Roberts will probably not earn him too many Brownie points from anyone.
If Mr Roberts had done a proper comparative investigation between EU countries, we could take some notice. It is easier to see the negative side of problems but more difficult to suggest a remedy.
So perhaps we should ask the NFU: What are you going to do about it? If you had the will, you would come out of the closet and lead UK Agriculture plc into the next millennium as a strong market-orientated industry not a divided mishmash as at present.
We have the ability and the infrastructure to match any co-operative operating profitably on the Continent. And consumers – our customers – would be the greatest beneficiaries.
The UK is out of step with Europe. Look at the EU situation: MD Foods has 78% of the milk market; Colerco Holland has 56%, Arla Sweden has 42%; Ualio Finland has 37%; and Nordh Milch has 34%.
Other EU countries are doing better than us through co-operation and marketing ability. Mr Roberts and the NFU may have to reorganise and employ people to unite farmers with marketing skills.
The NFUs track record is not exemplary, but we can hope it may have learnt through the FMC fiasco. Wouldnt beef, sheep and pig producers like to turn back the clock? If the NFU started by backing the new Dairy Crest Shareholders Association to keep the company in producer ownership, that would be helpful and cost-effective. Also Milk Marque, Genus, and NMR still need a helping hand to continue to serve farmers and make money for them.
Recent missed opportunities include ownership of ADAS and the Animal Data Centre, and giving the Milk Development Council the ability to change its remit to be able to fund generic milk advertising.
Look at Holland and Denmark, where all processing of milk, pigs and beef is in farmers hands. Lets copy them.
Their advisory bureau and other animal data centres are also in farmer-ownership – total control without monopoly investigations or other political interference.
I am convinced I speak for the whole industry; we await with baited breath. If you can deliver, Mr Roberts, I am willing, like others, to treble my subscription to the NFU. I hope you will take up the challenge.
Finn Christensen
Steanbow Farm, Pilton, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
Accept nothing but the best
There is much confusion about legal tolerance levels for minerals. ADAS is rightly making sure farmers ask that the minerals it buys are the full specification. In fact, manufacturers may be tested to check they are not taking advantage of legally allowed lower levels, some 50% below the levels requested.
We can confirm that all our products are manufactured to the specification requested by our customers, using suppliers and raw materials which have been approved in accordance with our ISO 9002 accreditation.
We take care to ensure 100% compliance and we would insist that any sampling of our products for analysis, and the laboratory procedures for that analysis, are carried out in line with accepted standards to minimise any possible analytical variation.
We have been subject to random testing, by Trading Standards and ADAS, among others.
It is important that all manufacturers realise that the legal tolerance zones are there not for production inclusion rates but for analysis variations that occur in testing part of the product.
Sue Rice
Dairy Farm, Ingham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
Side-tracked by obscure rules
Having read David Richardsons column (May 29) and also the comments of ACCS chairman Jonathan Tipples (Arable, May 29) we feel the entry of grain into the human food chain, may need tightening up with safer regulations.
Certainly some of the more extreme measures being quoted such as wind speed and tractor servicing are complete red herrings. It seems the only thing missing from the list is when the farmer last changed his underwear which may be more relevant to public health than some of the official questions.
Grain used in animal feed rations is surely a different subject. Whatever the assurance of the grain, it is included in rations with such things as copra, cocoa bean, rapeseed, soya and feathers.
Surely that defeats the whole scheme. Anything is only as strong as its weakest link which in this case is the point of entry. Traceability stops at the port of entry.
D S Pinley
Upcott Farm, Wembworthy, Chulmleigh, Devon.