TALKING POINT

21 December 2001




TALKING POINT

Its the pantomime season again. With it comes far-fetched scripts, ham-acting, stereotypical characters, and the retelling of ancient myths. We dont have to go out for this because BBCRadio 4s The Archers provides us with such material all year round. Some treat the programme as a harmless diversion, but it has done much to reinforce misconceptions which urban dwellers hold about farmers.

Rural myths are created not only by TV and radio producers in search of an audience. Lobby groups exaggerate problems to scare us into parting with money to save the countryside or improve our diet. Academics and writers produce junk science to boost their incomes. Here are some of the myths that result.

Myth one: The countryside is a terrible place to live – with not enough doctors, buses, shops or jobs. How many would willingly move to cities? There are few empty houses in country areas, and rural populations are expanding. The countryside is vastly superior to over-crowded cities in almost every way. Rural employment is growing, as technology permits new ways of remote working.

Myth two: Our farming is intensive. This is a favourite complaint of groups like Friends of the Earth, who blame intensification for foot-and-mouth, BSE, and all the rest of our recent problems. In fact, farming in this country is relatively extensive, with three- quarters of agricultural land used for raising livestock. If our cattle, sheep and pigs spent more of their lives indoors, as they do ielsewhere, we might have fewer disease problems.

Myth three: Farming has ruined the countryside. This belief is widespread, and an important driver of policy. DEFRA secretary Margaret Beckett has said that she wants CAP support to be redirected towards environmental goals, but the countryside is far from being despoiled by current farming methods. There are isolated areas of damage, for example where too many animals have been grazed on common land, but most farms are in good shape. It does not make sense for the government to press for a significant shift of resources towards the environment. Lets hope it realises this before it is too late.

Myth four: Our birds are dying out. That is a variant of Myth 3, trilled by the RSPB to boost membership. Most birds are doing well. A recent survey by the British Trust for Ornithology showed that in the past six years 67 bird species increased in population, while only 33 declined.

Myth five: Soil is being stripped of nutrients. Another twist in Myth three and the subject of a recent book by Graham Harvey, agricultural adviser to The Archers, Enough said.

Myth six: Big farmers dont care about the environment. Forget Brian Aldridge – most beneficiaries from DEFRA-funded green schemes are large-scale farmers, who take professional advice on ways on maximising support.

Myth seven: Organic farming is sustainable and natural. The Advertising Standards Authority recently ruled that such claims were misleading, as were statements that organic farms were better for animal welfare, did not use chemicals and that organic food tasted better.

Myth eight: Pesticides and chemical fertilisers are bad for us. It has been calculated that without modern farming methods the earth would be able to sustain only half its current population.

I have travelled all round this country, and believe that we are fortunate to have a marvellous landscape, created and nurtured by generations of farmers. A happy Christmas to the real guardians of our countryside.

The festive season is

upon us and its a good

enough excuse to dwell

on the great rural

myths of our times.

Geoffrey Hollis

enumerates


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