Sir, - I am sure the very supportive British public will be pleased to hear that the meat they will be able to buy next week should be cheaper than before the recent foot-and-mouth outbreak.

The price received for beef animals by farmers over the past 18 months or so has been dictated by the strong pound, enabling imports to be more competitive; or so we were led to believe.

With British meat slaughtering ceasing for ten days, one supermarket shot itself in the foot by announcing meat may have to go up as they were having to import replacement stocks.

Monday, March 5, was the first day available in non-affected areas, with strict controls for slaughtering to start again. The prices offered to farmers, who understandably rushed to move stock for various reasons, were 10pc to 15pc lower than before foot-and-mouth began.

Obviously, operating slaughter houses and wholesalers were able to stock up with the abundant supplies offered, with a lot of farmers in a no-win situation, having to accept the offered price; for example, cattle reaching the 30-month deadline, cattle becoming too fat, or welfare issues.

This confirms Mr Blair's suspicions that farmers, at the primary end of the food chain, are held in an arm lock. This has now been followed by a full Nelson, shortly followed no doubt by the attempted two falls and a submission.

"You can fool all the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but not all people all the time."

I am sure many farmers would like to thank the public who have supported them so far and the associated businesses which have bent over backwards to keep supplies coming in, yet had extra work taking the stringent precautions necessary.

I hope they all enjoy their cheaper meat next week, with the added bonus of knowing that it has been reared to compulsory higher and healthier standards than the imported meat being sought by those who should feel a touch ashamed at trying to "spin" the British public.

N L WARD

West Harlsey.

Stop imports

Sir, - After the current foot-and-mouth disaster, the meat industry will no doubt be subject to even more extensive and strict regulations from the UK and EC authorities.

We are told that the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 1967 was started by meat that came from Argentina, and swine fever last year from a foreign pork product thrown away in a field.

As it has been quoted that up to a fifth of our meat products are not truly British, there is nothing to prevent a foreign meat product from being discarded anywhere in the country, and then we have the situation of a potential catastrophe all over again.

Stop all the meat imports that do not come up to UK and EC standards, or we are wasting our time and money with more regulations. We are an island after all.

Surely, our government should first and foremost ensure that we can feed ourselves, as do the governments of most other countries, before having to import any meat deficit from elsewhere.

LINTON W GAUNT

The Blacksmith's Cottage

Snape

Bedale.

Who benefits?

Sir, - Following speculation in the media of expected higher meat prices in the shops following the recent foot-and-mouth outbreak, are we permitted to be told who is hoping to cash in on this latest crisis in agriculture?

Reports on today's television news reveal that lower than usual prices are being realised for livestock now being sent for slaughter.

STEPHEN E FRANKLAND

Low Bramley Grange

Grewelthorpe

Ripon.

Another horror

Sir, - It is with horror that the country watches the necessary destruction and burning of livestock on our television screens as a result of the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. I am sure any reasonable person will have nothing but sympathy for those caught up on the disaster whose livelihoods must now be in question.

I wonder if your readers are aware that if planned legislation goes ahead, they won't be the only fires and scenes of destruction we will see, but the next time it will be senseless and unnecessary.

It will be due to more than 20,000 hounds having to be destroyed if a ban on hunting with dogs goes ahead. At the same time countless numbers of horses will meet an early death due to excess numbers that will hit the markets in the following months. All for the sake of supposed animal welfare.

Yet not a single fox will be saved as other forms of control, which the Burns report stated as "equally compromising to the welfare of the fox" are stepped up to compensate.

What we will be witnessing is the spread of another disease, the all-mouth disease, where ignorance and prejudice have a disastrous effect on the animals they claim to want to help, and no thought is given to the dreadful and far-reaching consequences on other animals. If this goes ahead, they will have failed to Listen to Us.

JO FERGUS

Co-ordinator, Bishop Auckland

Countryside Action Group

Charazel House,

Gainford.