rebeccariots2 wrote:
A West Country farming leader claims that cattle producers will go out of business because of a new policy from two major supermarkets. The new rules put restrictions on how many times cattle can be moved - and farmers claim they haven't been consulted.
... because of a change in policy of two of the major supermarkets, farmers will be docked £50 per head for cows that have been moved more than four times.
Cattle move for a number of reasons. They are often sold at a cattle market to a calf rearer, who will then sell them on to another farmer who will grow them on on grass, before they go to their final home to be readied for slaughter.
"There is a chain that animals go through and usually it's about 3 movements but sometimes it can be 4 and that is our problem in that they're now trying to impose these rules on us with no actual method of policing it. And it's caused everyone; the auctioneers, the producers, the abattoirs another range of problems."
– BILL HARPER CHAIR, NATIONAL BEEF ASSOCIATION, SOUTH WEST
The worry is that the new rule will mean farmers who're already struggling will throw their hand in...
But it sounds as though it will be better for cattle ... and it will be better for disease control. Everyone I've ever met or heard speak whose opinion and expertise I respect says that cattle movements are the main driver of bovineTB spread.
The report goes on to say other supermarkets are about to follow suit. I hope they do.
It comes as this stupid government have just relaxed some of the movement restrictions they brought in as part of their so called comprehensive TB eradication strategy - because of pressure from farmers.
I haven't clicked on the link yet, but if the "West Country farming leader" isn't Richard bloody Haddock I'd be very surprised. A whinger supreme, who was fingered as one of the six ring-leaders of the fuel protests back in the day, and who declared his farm on the South Devon coast a bio-hazard area, put wheel dips on the road, had his cattle slaughtered at a young age and received full "market value" for a mature beast, saving all that tiresome feed costs, vet costs, labour costs &tc, oh, and that even more tiresome "working for a living" stuff.
Oh, and the auctioneers assessing the values of the cattle killed were apparently paid a percentage of the values they assigned to the herd. Could be wrong, but that's what I understand.
Edited to say that the nearest case of foot and mouth was on the edge of Dartmoor - bloody miles away and in no danger of reaching his herd. Google the guy, quite the charmer.
