IN legislation that would have made Robert Mugabe proud, the Scottish parliament last week passed the Land Reform Bill which, to my mind, has two extreme provisions to worry land owners and farmers.

Scottish crofters have been given the right to acquire their land and property even if the owner doesn't want to sell.

Furthermore, groups of crofters are permitted to get together to purchase a whole estate if they so wish and the "associated rights" which may include salmon fishing on the rivers!

Unhindered access is to be given to the whole of the Scottish countryside even if farmers object.

These two provisions breach the very principles of property ownership which we were all taught to respect in the past, namely trespassing on other people's land is not allowed, and a man cannot be rightfully forced to sell what is his.

There are softening edges to the bill, but it is still a pretty awesome warning of what could happen south of the border.

To explain a little further, the unfettered "Licence to Roam" will be administered by the local authorities who are charged with setting up a core network of pathways, which the farmer cannot refuse.

There is a section in the bill which acknowledges that life still goes on in the country, but it is a gesture. The statement says that access will be restricted during lambing periods and that the public will not be allowed to trample over crops.

I just wonder who is to tell the Gorbals lager louts when lambing starts and what a field of barley looks like.

On the land-grabbing side, I am sure it will come as a great relief to the Scottish lairds to know that they will be paid for their crofting property, but presumably this will be at a value well below vacant possession based upon the occupation of the crofter himself.

One of the most worrying features of all the legislation that keeps coming to hit farming is that there is no provision for a rural voice on the bodies empowered to administer the new regulations.

Is it any wonder that so many farmers are leaving the sinking ship of British agriculture and many more would like to do so?

Double tagging sheep in July?

Despite once again almost universal opposition from the sheep-producing nations, David Byrne, the Irish Food Commissioner for Europe, is showing no sign that he is prepared to relent upon his determination to introduce double-tagging for all sheep in July this year.

He is trying to excuse his folly by saying that it will be an invaluable defence against future disease outbreaks, such as FMD, but the general view is that he has missed the point entirely.

Traceability is important, but individual identification of one sheep in a flock of 1,250 is neither here nor there. It is merely going to aggravate management problems and make the whole thing completely impractical.

Doubtless the voice of reason will not be heard.

Toys for pigs

Once again, the EU has been made to look the silly ass that it often is. This March, welfare legislation will come into effect demanding that all pigs are provided with "manipulable or organic materials" and this is to include straw or wood shavings.

As a large percentage of fattening pigs are kept on insulated floors without bedding, this would have cost the industry some £14m.

The purpose of the straw was apparently to give pigs something to play with and our National Pig Association has exploited the opportunity to argue that plastic tubing, footballs or bits of metal would do just as well.

We even got DEFRA backing for the acceptance of the new pig toys and they now report that they have been successful. As NPA executive Stewart Houston said, this new definition will allow pig producers to "think creatively!"

Illegal meat controls

I have been saying for months now that DEFRA pays little more than token lip service to trying to control illegal imports and it can only be an improvement that overall responsibility is planned to transfer to HM Customs & Excise from this April.

Last week, the Conservative shadow minister exposed DEFRA's half-hearted approach in its TV advertising campaign. The TV "Filler" on publicising the dangers of illegal meat imports cost £156,000 to make and has been broadcast 119 times so far; that would appear to be very laudable until you realise that 71 of those broadcasts were made between midnight and 6am!

Reintroduction scheme for dormice

I love dormice, but a letter in today's post promoting a funded scheme for their reintroduction does put traditional farming into perspective.

English Nature and London University are behind the project and are looking for potential sites in and around Yorkshire.

Ideally, one should have a deciduous woodland in excess of 50 acres with abundant fruiting hazel.

Anyone interested please make contact and I will give you the address.

Doctor Zhivago knew it was coming

Joe Pitt has been re-reading Dr Zhivago, which is set in the period of early socialism in Russia 100 years ago. Some of the passages about bureaucracy and red tape have a hauntingly familiar ring to them and I quote a couple:

"The most urgent was to read the text of the decrees posted on the wall of the House of Caryatids. (DEFRA?) It was no joke in those days to be ignorant of the regulations, it might cost you your life."

"No doubt they were intended as a reminder of the uncompromising nature of the regime in case it should have been forgotten."

Market report

At Tuesdays fat market, there were 72 cattle including 25 bulls, 1,048 sheep including 340 ewes. All trailers full loaded!

Heavyweight steers to 108p/kilo, Pam Gibson, Bempton (ave 99.5p).

Heifers - lightweight to 136p, G I Marwood, Harome (110.8p); heavyweight to 141p, G I Marwood, Harome (108.3p).

Bulls - lightweight to 104p, G & J E Webb, Muston (99.6p), heavyweight to 111p, R H Thornhill, Nafferton (96.2p).

Black and white bulls to 89p, Morley Brothers, Yedingham (82.5p).

Sheep - standard to 117.4p, M Marshall, Pockley (116.2p), medium 120.7p, J M Thompson, Fridaythorpe (114.4p)/kilo, heavy 117.3p, F J Hodsman, Eddlethorpe (111.4p), overweights to 111.3p, C B Jacklin & Co, Yatts (108.5p).

Ewes to £69 J Byas, Knapton ave £49.50.

Updated: 11:04 Wednesday, February 05, 2003