REFERENCE your report (£3,000 fine for moving animals, July 25) describing the events leading to prosecution and fines in this case, I simply cannot but express publicly my utter disgust at the outcome, nor my anger if I compare it with the Anderson Report and its reception as described by you on the previous page.

For one, a £3,000 fine, the other, well it was all a bit muddled and unfortunate but no-one was to blame. Not the thousands of Government officials, the State Veterinary service, MAFF, Trading Standards, the Minister, nor the PM.

The thousands of misjudgements, the straightforward cock-ups, the ludicrous contiguous cull or, above all the squandering of millions (billions?) on overpayments or compensating for perfectly healthy animals. Digging holes in wet ground at huge cost but to no avail. Destroying herds built up over many generations. No blame, no fine.

Indeed, I know of promotions, commendations and probably honours to come for those in the thick of it. I called them inadequate and incompetent in early March 2001 and condemned them for allowing animals to suffer in the mud later.

For all that, no fines, no individual censure.

For Mr Hamlyn, however, a fine equal to the average year's income from a typical 160-acre farm. Not 'profit', please note, but his net income. In other words it is the equivalent of fining someone on the average national wage £20,000.

For what? We never saw foot and mouth at Eworthy. I know because I farmed there until seven weeks ago. Could that be, at least in part, because Mr Hamlyn and his neighbours farmed in old, traditional ways and then made heroic efforts to avoid foot and mouth?

I doubt non-farming readers can even start to appreciate the lengths people went to in this. Farms were sealed and even children sent away to abolish possible transmissions.

Mr Hamlyn has a farm that is partly within a ring road. Well, a ring lane. For months he toiled with plastic sheeting, disinfectant and shovels. For months he saw good grass spoil because he could see it but not use it. Finally, months again after foot and mouth left Devon he moved cattle for husbandry reasons. His crime? To walk them in the time honoured manner past some empty fields. His reward for this? Fined £3,000.

When people sum up the qualities they admire, honesty, industry and self sufficiency are high on the list. Mr Hamlyn demonstrated all these and pleaded guilty. The magistrates saw fit to reward all that with a fine of one year's earnings. That is a disgrace.

The fine is totally out of proportion. There is no victim here, indeed, no harm. The outcome simply reduces the meagre capital that he has left to fund his remaining lifetime.

Meanwhile, the overcompensated drive new vehicles, build new sheds, or retire unable to believe their luck. The inadequate and incompetent go on as if nothing had happened.

If these magistrates have any sense they will immediately decide they were wrong and take whatever action they can to put it right. If not then I suggest the farming community steps in.

The fine could be paid from the compensation paid to many hereabouts for one cow. Alternatively, non-payment could result in incarceration. If that happens then I think every farmer in Devon should accompany Mr Hamlyn to ensure the world knows about it

I have no role now in the NFU and these views are strictly my own.

David Hill

5 Fairfax Road

Heathfield

Newton Abbot