THE Government decision to permit the re-opening of livestock markets is good news for the South West. It is, hopefully, a signal that the New Year will bring to an end the misery of livestock farmers in the South West and the start of a new and prosperous era in farming.
The need for enforcing strict bio-security rules on farming is obvious, because foot and mouth disease could rear its ugly head at any time. However, despite evidence that meat imports could have been a cause of the horrendous epidemic, this Government says it is restrained from exercising strict import controls because of its membership of the World Trade Organisation, which sets the rules regulating international trade.
Rules, however, can be bent when an important national industry is under threat. We should take a leaf from the rule book of the French, who, in the Seventies, took action to protect its motor industry from cheap, subsidised Japanese car exports. Until they had reached an 'anti-dumping' agreement with Japan, the import of Japanese cars was channelled through one French port. Japanese car imports slowed to a trickle and the French got their agreement.
We need to exercise the same common sense approach to meat that comes from countries where FMD is endemic, and whose bio-security systems do not meet our standards. Channelling these imports through one British port would enable the Food Standards Agency easily to ensure that the meat which reaches our tables is safe and that the livestock on our farms is protected.
Why not, Mrs Beckett?
Giles Chichester
South West
Conservative MEP