Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence


APPENDIX 2

Supplementary memorandum submitted by Mr Paul Holliday (P2A)

  I write further to you at the Chairman's invitation, following my attendance at the oral evidence session of 10 February. I was most pleased at the quality of the Committee and the content of the evidence taking.

  My comments are from substantial experience in an industry directly involved in on-farm animal husbandry. Animal and crop husbandry, animal nutrition, animal welfare, animal movement restrictions, animal biosecurity, in the UK, all are at a very high international standard. Our random sampling of food, annual reports from the VDM provide constant evidence of this.

  Honourable Member for the Forest of Dean raised the question of Switzerland. I believe the answer to the low levels of TB there is this: Unimproved pasture, small scale unit dairy/beef production, heavily supported by the Government. Not even attempting to compete in a world market . . . without support.

  In this country, we have chosen to compete in the global dairy products market, within the framework of the EU. This has meant, as a matter of business viability: improved pasture and cultivation of crops like maize. This also means high pasture soil fertility, high worm populations. High yields of grass and maize for farmed bovines, high yields of worms and other scavenged food for wild bovines. This process became very intense and urgent following the deregulation of the UK dairy industry. Less reliance on artifical fertiliser also demands; cultivated, well aerated—humus rich soil. The current trend for more sustainable production indicates high pasture worm population status too.

  We have I believe, inadvertently changed the eco system dynamically. In the future, Decoupling may reduce cattle populations geneally, but may increase dairy herd size substantially . . . in less units. I suspect soil fertility will stay high for some years even on pastures that become semi-permanent again. Maybe this would indicate a decade of substantial growth of wild bovine populations.

  So, my feeling is, that if the present effort at TB control is to be effective, it needs to immediately address the main sources of infection, farmed and wild. In a way, the cost to the Treasury of this inadvertent impact on the eco system, is at least a comparable cost I would guess, as the approach taken by Switzerland. A true irony. And much less harsh a place, than where the global market may have chaotically brought your committee to.

  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to engage in this consultation process.

11 February 2003


 
previous page contents next page

House of Commons home page Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries index

© Parliamentary copyright 2003
Prepared 9 April 2003