Dear Prime Minister...

AT the TUC conference, you made it clear how irresponsible it would be if you were to ignore the clear warning signs seeping out of Iraq that might endanger the peace of the world.

I can't help wondering where those sentiments were on Sunday when 407,000 of your constituents gave freely of their time and money to demonstrably and peaceably point out to your government that the countryside of Britain is in real trouble.

I accept that you may prefer the world stage and the US President's friendship, but that same tenet of irresponsibility pervades the rural crisis if you choose to ignore it.

As neither you nor any of your ministers seemed to be available on Sunday I thought you should be aware of the following:

Mrs Beckett dismissed the march, saying she was not interested in numbers!

We think she is wrong. This was the biggest demonstration of public feeling since the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834.

Even then, Sunday's march was the more impressive as today only 20pc of the population lives in the country whereas, 170 years ago, it would have been the other way round.

You shouldn't ignore the united strength of feeling in the protest.

Your Rural Affairs Minister, Alun Michael, said Parliament would not be intimidated.

Threats from the IRA or the EC or even striking trades unions may fall under the banner of intimidation, but not Sunday's performance which was executed without any public misbehaviour except, may I point out by a small group of anti-hunt protesters, of which four managed to get themselves arrested.

There was opportunity for disorder, and it worried me to be told by one senior police officer that, despite advice to the contrary, the Home Office had only allowed sufficient police presence to cope with a crowd not in excess of 200,000. In the event, twice the predicted number turned up and there was still no sign of trouble.

Please accept that the countryside is not trying to intimidate Parliament but just to get a recognition for our problems.

A Spokesman for the RSPCA said he believed the march to be about hunting and not the wider issues of farming and the rural economy.

Having walked and talked for seven hours, I can assure you this is not true. Certainly my new found friend from the Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association didn't think so, nor did the Wiltshire pub owner, or the Yorkshire corn merchant, or the Sussex farmer, or the Lancashire pig producer.

As a livestock auctioneer I know like all these people that our very life blood and livelihood is being squeezed out by Labour policies.

My final comment is to plead that you take seriously the ten points raised by the Countryside Alliance letter. To borrow from the Bible: "Why beholdest thou the mote that is thy brother Saddam's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own rural policy spectacles?"

My overriding impression from the march, and this is not meant to be intimidating or threatening, is that if this unique peaceful demonstration is not heeded, then there will be no alternative but to look for a different strategy.

Yours sincerely

A fifth generation livestock auctioneer

(now a Category 1 Rare Breed!)

We are now right in the middle of the sheep sales and Saturday sees the annual Blakey event, where there are over 2,600 breeding sheep and store lambs. All the regular vendors are showing that day, and the numbers include some 1,500 Scot and Swaledale ewes and gimmer shearlings, followed by 1,000 lambs.

This sale starts at 11.30am.

Next week also sees the Great Annual Michaelmas Fair at Malton and, for the first time, we are holding it within the market premises on two separate days.

Wednesday October 2 will see the breeding sheep, with some 3,00 ewes and gimmer shearlings, starting at 10am, followed by 280 rams at noon.

Friday October 4 will see the store lamb sale where nearly 2,500 lambs will be offered in the market at 11am.

Catalogues are available from the Auctioneers and we will try and help interpret the crazy movement regulations.

Milk producers quitting - At the dairy event last week, Andersons the Farm Consultants forecast that around 25pc of UK dairy farmers are likely to leave the industry over the next two years unless margins improve dramatically.

To a large extent, this has already happened in the east of the country and if it's repeated elsewhere, it will further put pressure on our industry.

Meat labelling update - The beef labelling revelations which embarrassed Asda which was selling steaks from Brazil under its own brand has developed a little further.

ABP, which supplies Asda, has accepted that about 60pc of its processed meat comes from home-produced stock and the remaining 40pc is from imported meat.

Interesting Banners - One spectacular feature of the march was the variety of banners displayed, and I made a note of one or two of the more printable ones.

Preserve the Countryside don't Pickle It

Save Rural Pubs

Hunting is as old as sex

Gay Farmers Unite

Please let me know if you have seen any worth a second mention.

Tuesday's market was pretty steady, with some 75 cattle being sold.

Trade was unexciting, but it has been down everywhere this week as I gather cheap imports are readily available in large quantities.

Pam Gibson had the best steer, at 130p per kilo, and Edward Hardwick the top-price bull, at 120p per kilo.

However, it was Edward again who topped the heifer section at 135p per kilo for a quite outstanding animal.

Generally, the retail butcher quality cattle were good to sell, but those outside of that higher specification were more difficult.

We had 570 sheep and the lamb average was 98p per kilo through the market.

The top price went to Trevor Warriner at 106p per kilo and lambs made up to £51.80 per head.

Updated: 10:04 Wednesday, September 25, 2002