DON'T DELAY
Page 16
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CM29 Mar-4 April contained several references to the interdependency of agriculture and road haulage and highlighted their plight due to the current foot-and mouth-epidemic. However, with a general election looming we need to look beyond the current crisis and consider the future prospects of these two closely related industries.
While Tony Blair is currently making sympathetic noises towards the agricultural community I am convinced that his deep-down gut feeling is to be dismissive to the concerns of both these vital industries.
Our road transport struggles to survive with the double burden of the highest priced fuel in western Europe and probably the highest level of regulation. The recent reduction in VED did little to compensate for the punitive taxation imposed by this government. Continental hauliers are poaching the domestic market in ever increasing numbers.
In agriculture commodity prices have dropped by 30-40% in the past four years while costs have risen. Where is the future when the average age of farmers is 58? The availability of cheap imported food poses a continuing and increasing threat, much of it being produced where welfare is minimal and traceability unheard of Unscrupulous importers dump food of dubious quality on the British market, safe in the knowledge that our import inspection procedures are inadequate to say the least. The current foot-and-mouth problem was probably the result of this.
If we are to enjoy quality home produced food distributed by our own professional hauliers, now is the time to make our voices heard. To delay would be a folly many of us will live to regret. John Pritchard, Habberfey, Shropshire.