Letters: We all must share responsibility

I do not mean who is to blame. I do not promote a search for the guilty or the haranguing of a scapegoat. There is already enough of this pointless bluster in every TV bulletin and newspaper.

We all share a responsibility for the state of the farming industry; farmers, consumers, supermarkets and agribusiness.

As consumers we must realise that in order to satisfy our demand for insanely low-priced meat and poultry that something will suffer. A standard of husbandry that ensures respect for the beast, first class animal welfare, and safe, non-contaminated food is not possible unless we are prepared to re-evaluate our priorities and values.

If we only want to pay the supermarket £3 for a full grown chicken we should stop pretending to ourselves that it has not suffered or been exploited in its short and drug-induced life.

I for one am so bored with the farming community telling me I do not understand rural practices and blaming everyone else for their woes. It's time it took some responsibility (not blame) for the state of the industry. It's time it wised up to the fact that "interfering townies" might just be very knowledgeable, discerning customers questioning suspect practices and blinkered tradition.

Many well-informed citizens are now recognising there is a deep and fundamental problem with our arrogant relationship with nature. BSE, swine fever and now foot-and-mouth - how many more signals do we need from nature to tell us that there is a significant imbalance between man and beast.

Instead of blaming Europe, the government, the townies, crows (!) or MAFF, let's see us all putting our hands up and asking, "What is my part in all of this?"

We can all play our part in many ways. The huge popularity of organic produce is a tale of consumer power, farmer bravery and local initiative. It's one option with a higher cost - but what is the cost of the alternative?

PAUL FOX

South Parade,

Croft-on-Tees.

This is inhumane

Sir, - I am sure I am not the only person to be horrified by the stories of pregnant ewes being left to lamb, unaided, and without any shelter or protection from the elements for them and their new born lambs. It is impossible to imagine their suffering.

Surely there must be some way to give them warmth and help at such a time. Even some sort of tented covering (courtesy of the Army perhaps?) would be better than nothing, together with human assistance with the appropriate disinfecting procedures in place.

The farmers who own these flocks must be at their wits' end and deserve all the help we can give them.

I cannot believe that we can allow such inhumane action to continue in what is supposed to be a civilised country.

RUBY DAVISON

Eden Road,

Romanby,

Northallerton.

Just a hunch

Sir, - It is horrifying that the mass culling policy is based upon hunch and not on any proven facts.

When a new treatment is evaluated for human use, tests must be made using both treated and untreated ("control") groups of subjects. Without control groups, proper evaluation is impossible.

While the current outbreak is raging, the government should seek to recruit farmers in affected areas who would be paid for running their farms for several years, without culling, to evaluate alternative policies suitable for handling future outbreaks.

The farmer's loss of freedom on his own farm would be offset by having a guaranteed salary (Civil Service scale?) and full recompense for all operating costs. Built-in provision of compensation for any neighbouring farmers who might suffer from this experimental approach would also be needed.

The cost to the UK would be a tiny fraction of the current mass culling policy. Heaven forbid that any future outbreak should be so devastating and so badly handled as this one.

W A & H FORSTER

Wellington Mews,

Ripon.

Priorities

Sir, - I write about the crisis in the leisure industry and farming industry. The Chancellor, Mr Gordon Brown, must offer an immediate generous compensation package to all who are financially affected by the disastrous outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

He should offer to match pound for pound the compensation paid by the Conservative government during the disastrous outbreak of BSE which occurred while they were in power.

Also it is time for the government to forget about fox-hunting and get the foot-and-mouth disaster sorted out first. I am sick of the Agriculture Minister, Mr Nick Brown, saying the ministry has got it under control.

G BARKER

Hillshaw Parkway,

Ripon.

We were warned

Sir, - I refer to the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease raging through the countryside. This is just one of a number of calamitous events occurring in recent months and years, ie. floods, BSE etc.

There is a principle of reaping what you sow which is very relevant to this situation. Scripture is full of warnings of this nature. When a person or a nation turns its back upon God's commandments and turns to deciding what's good for itself, particularly in immoral and homosexual behaviour, we ought not to be surprised when things go wrong.

The remedy is simple: "righteousness exalts a nation".

B HUGHES

Willow View,

Catterick Village.

Soil goodness

Sir, - It was interesting to read the report by Harry Mead about the herbal remedy for foot-and-mouth and the use of soil (D&S, Mar 23). The farms that I worked on before and during the war made use of soil when animals were off colour.

A sod was cut from under the wood hedge, then placed in the trough of the sick beast. "I, it's mineral she's short of," the animal doctor would say.

Stock tied up during winter were let out when it was dry and sunny. The animals made straight to one hedge where they would lick the soil from under it.

F D CHISHOLM

Gunnergate Lane,

Marton,

Middlesbrough.