Off to a cracking start

The ring was absolutely packed and there was a great atmosphere.

Even the biosecurity measures were almost accepted - apart from the odd passing rambler who had not been told about the Order of the Wellington Boot!

Trade was good without being barmy and the top prices were as follows:

Raymond Lawson, Troutsdale - two Ch steers £555

H Walker, Bempton - one Fr steer £520

David Johnson, Bilsdale - two Lim bulls £515

E P & A Richardson, Langdale End - one Belgian Blue heifer £508

There was a total clearance and we are grateful to those producers who showed confidence in bringing their stock on the first day.

There looks to be a decent entry for this Friday with similar numbers forecast.

DEFRA, courtesy of Liz Akzan and Avril Hannam, have granted us a licence to operate on a Tuesday in double mode.

Firstly, we shall be selling in the sheep shed with a full live auction of hoggs, ewes and spring lambs, if there are any about.

Numbers are strictly limited because we cannot overflow outside the shed itself.

I know that Philip Place already has quite a number booked in, but it is essential you ring up if you want to bring your sheep on that day, next Tuesday.

Secondly, we would like to start with a collection of OTMS cows and fat cattle in the cattle shed, but this does depend on the numbers forward.

We need to gather together meaningful loads of cattle that are economic to move so, again, if you have stock that you would like to send, let us know in good time and we can make the best job of it for you.

If we want the market to survive then it has to be used; and for our part the auctioneers are doing all they can.

Last week, the High Court turned down an application for an official inquiry into the FMD pantomime and it is fascinating to see that those experts that would have contributed to such an investigation are now coming up with their own views on what happened.

Dr Sheila Crispin, a leading vet from Bristol University, who was in Northumberland at the height of the crisis, is one such loud voice and her conclusions can be found on website www.warmwell.com.

In brief, she reports on the chaos that resulted from the bureaucratic centralisation of the handling of the crisis; on how the panic in Downing Street managed to "turn a crisis into a disaster"; how the Army was extremely "professional" but that many soldiers expressed privately that the "Government policy appeared irrational"; and, finally, she deprecates the way in which the management of the crisis was handed over to "some rather unusual and inappropriate scientists" with no veterinary experience.

At the end of her report, she points out that the Government's current proposals in its Animal Health Bill will merely give the same people power to repeat these "appalling" mistakes on an even greater scale.

These are hardly words of comfort for the Government but they are well deserved.

On the other hand, across the water the European Parliament is determined to pursue its own inquiry into FMD and I got a call from Robert Sturdy this week to set up proper meetings in Hexham, Carlisle and Longtown so that his team can meet the people who know and suffered.

The more I hear, the more I fear that this Government has something to hide.

From my conversation with Robert, I gather the Socialist/Labour Party of European Parliament are doing their damnedest to block any sensible investigation but for the sake of thousands of farmers and millions of animals it must be done.

The rural news seems to be full of unrest at the moment and here are some of the week's highlights.

The Government's consultation period for the new nitrate vulnerable zone proposals has come to an end and it is clear that they face massive opposition from the farmers.

Both Ben Gill and the CLA president have written to Margaret Beckett asking our Government to fight this particular EU directive which could end up costing the industry well over £100m a year.

DEFRA has indicated that in England it will direct its top-up payments for the sheep subsidy into other environmental schemes rather than give it to the hard-pressed sheep producers.

This contrasts with Scotland and Wales where they have chosen to support their farmers and give them the money.

Lord Whitty has clearly indicated that the Government does not see the live auction mart as an essential part of the red meat chain and he suggests that our role in future should be more orientated towards deadweight selling.

Don't forget that the marketing service for all your stock continues and Paul Morse/Keith Warters will be pleased to help.

After slipping a little over the past few weeks, there are signs the cattle trade has steadied and numbers are more difficult to put together.

R grade cattle, whether bulls or clean, are running from 168p to 175p per kilo with decent premiums for better quality and lighter weights.

The breaking-up cattle are still hovering from a bottom of 140p up to 158p per kilo, but do be careful of getting your cattle too fat.

The sheep market is pretty variable at the moment with around 210p available for all weights and going up to 230-240p for weight-limited sales. It is very much a time for finding the deal that suits your circumstances best, so please give a ring for some guidance.

Pig trade is still reasonable with prices running from 95p-105p per kilo, dependant on weight.

Help us to help you and phone our helplines at Malton on (01653) 697820/692151 and York on (01904) 489731

Updated: 11:50 Thursday, March 21, 2002