The Channel 4 programme carried a warning of graphic scenes that may upset some people. It was tough viewing and on occasion I had to force myself to watch it. But I felt compelled to. I had responsibility to!
We are such an ignorant nation. Food has been sanitised into cling-film wrapped uniform package. The countryside is about life and death. It has evolved over centuries and is a fundamental part of our heritage. But it is being eroded at an increasing rate. Forget global warming as the current political band wagon. Look closer at home to what is happening to our own green and pleasant land. Some seem to want the countryside to be a theme park where we go once in a while, with uniform hedges and no nasty smells. It is ok to drive a 4x4 or 16v gas guzzler in the city whilst farmers are controlled and dictated to more and more what they can and can't do, and their livelihood is eroded?!
The House of Commons debated for 700 hours on Fox-hunting. A contentious issue for sure but one that politics has been misleading on and divisive. Now the only way to legally kill a fox is by gas (chocking it to death), snare (metal jaws trapping the animal until it dies of hunger or distress or lamping (shooting by lights, a marksmen inevitably maiming the animal with horific gunshot injuries, rather than an outright kill). What about the whole brutal industry behind the social event of a cheap flutter on the horses. We don't see the broken down horses, the injuries, the emotional trauma, or the way they are treated as economic objects on a treadmill of performance (Ms horse is only just getting used to being turned out into a field at the age of 11!). What about dog racing? Fishing? These are all sports?!
If we really want to talk about cruelty, what about battery farming of chickens or intensive farming of pigs in crates? Or puppy farming. Or the increase in animal abuse?
We call ourselves a nation of animal lovers, but how many people know that perfectly healthy calves are being shot day in day out because they have absolutely no market value. This goes against every farmers principles. Since BSE farmers have to pay £45 to have the carcass removed, deemed as hazardous waste. Or they can get the local hunt to remove for a couple of £s as food for the dogs and for the skins to be sold on, at least endeavouring not to make it a wasted life. let alone an economical drain. Do we stop to think that we are importing beef from Brazil and Argentina where we have no influence over animal welfare. That farmers can no longer slaughter on site but have to transport their livestock hundreds of miles.
My childhood was spent on the edge of Surrey suburbia. The Diary farm is now an exclusive golf club and Windmill Field that hosted the annual heavy horse ploughing competition (I really and NOT that old!) is now a 400 rabbit-hutch estate. That's progress. Where an average 4-bed house costs £500,000.
Why is it acceptable for bankers, investors, developers, corporate MDs' can make literally millions dealing in commodities, and ordinary office jobs pay well, but we aren't prepare to pay farmers who work 365 days a year, a fair price for producing our food within strict welfare (exclude intensive farming!) and environmental control and for being the guardians of our countryside?
Quickly after the Hunting Ban came the "Single Payment" given to farmers which has nothing to do with farming. The payment is not to FARM the land but for environmental management? Ironically the Labour government has brought in a law that favours landowners rather than farmers. Farmers are dictated to about what vehicles they can drive, when they cut their hedges, what crops they can grow etc etc. It is dictorial. If they don't comply with government dictate they don't get the money. Diary farms are folding on a daily basis. Why are we importing our milk?! The next casualty forecast is Beef. It's more economical to freight meat from Brazil or America (which has a very different idea about genetic modification!) Arable farming is having an equally difficult time. Politicians talk about global warming but doh! Food miles!!!! We mustn't let the politicians jump on the bandwagons that sound good and fool us into thinking increasing car tax is the solution.
The documentary asked why people were not reacting to what is going on in the countryside? The conclusion, we just don't know about it. People are concerned about what they perceive as "sport" but they don't seem to worry about how their food is produced. All that matters is how cheap it is. Supermarkets have a BIG part to play here!
The programme quoted DEFRA as saying that "food security is not an issue". What will happen when we are dependant upon everyone else for our food production? Then we will have no say on genetic modification or animal welfare. What happens when other countries exert their power over us on milk supplies, crops and meats? And what do we think will happen to the countryside when no one works the land?
It's not often I blog about such serious matters but I am glad I made myself watch it. It made me think long and hard about the food I buy, the country I live in. This weekend I will get off my indifferent arse and find a local butcher selling local, organic produce and not complain about paying a little bit extra. Once we lose our national farming industry we will never regain it. And if we want to make a statement about cruelty lets focus on the big issues and not be fooled by politicians.
