‘Government is in disarray over the cost of living crisis’

Plenty of warm sunshine in the last week, with a good rain again last Friday to freshen things up. We have good growth now but more rain will be needed as we head into June. The cuckoo seems to be singing far more this year than I have heard for several years and I assume that there must be more of them around. There are song bird fledglings everywhere as they explore their surroundings and start depending on their own survival instincts. It looks to have been a good spring for them.

We sheared the sheep at Tillington last week and they were very pleased to have their heavy jackets removed.

The contractors did a superb job again this year, very tidy and good looking sheep at the end of the operation.

The cattle are right on top of the grass which is unusual in late May and grazing quality is excellent. Plenty of rain will be needed to keep things going after such a dry spring.

The pig sector is recovering slowly although there is still a backlog of pigs on farm and now a very clear divide between those tied to large processing companies who have not suffered too much and the private pig producers who have carried the disproportionate load.

Tesco has now responded to the price pressure caused by soaring wheat prices and joined other major retailers in adding further support; £6.6million through an accelerated and enhanced plan, with further promotion of British pork.

There are also big concerns over African swine fever coming into the country as government once again delay border controls.

Given that most people don’t realise that the virus can be present in meat, a discarded ham sandwich in the wrong location by a foreign truck driver is all it would take.

People who keep a pig or two may also be tempted to ‘re-cycle’ waste and feed scraps or untreated swill, which poses another risk and as pig feed rockets in price.

This may be tempting people to do a very dangerous thing.

The horticultural sector is still suffering from an acute shortage of labour and many growers are considering leaving the industry as rising costs add to the pain.

The war in Ukraine has had a huge impact on the availability of seasonal workers and things are getting desperate in some areas.

Two thirds of last year’s seasonal worker visas went to Ukrainians, with Russia providing the second largest contingent.

Inexperienced Bulgarian and Romanian workers are struggling to fill that gap and there is a risk of undermining the quality of British produce; an area where we under produce as it is with crops which are in huge demand.

The difficulties experienced in getting visas coupled with Ukrainians going back home to rescue families and then not being able to return to jobs waiting for them here and are now living in other countries is frustrating.

The sector is being asked to spend millions planting crops when there is no guarantee of anyone to cut or pick and not everyone will be willing to do that.

We are now coming to the end of Avian Influenza which has been by far the biggest outbreak we have seen in this country; in fact the biggest outbreak of exotic disease since foot and mouth.

Avian flu is a disease which is endemic worldwide, but is not endemic in the UK and work is being done on vaccinations with trials taking place, but just like our flu jab, strains would need to be tailored to the threat each year which is a difficult task.

Defra’s thermal limits on transport are causing real concern for poultry as well as other farming sectors and competition horses.

Given that we have a maritime climate it is very difficult to plan ahead as temperatures change so quickly and frequently and whilst of course it is desirable to travel all animals in as much comfort as possible, it is equally difficult to comply with the new regulations which demand that travel only occurs within specified temperature windows.

The ban on imported frozen rats and mice from Lithuania due to E.coli outbreak to feed exotic pets is also an issue as other markets such as China step into the breach albeit at higher prices.

The difficulties of refugees from warn torn Ukraine; the first refugees to move with their pets, is also causing problems and delays. Many cats and dogs will arrive in the UK and precautions need to be taken to safeguard against rabies.

Ukraine is a high-risk country and quarantine space is needed to isolate these animals for four months as the UK is rabies free, but there needs to be rabies vaccinated staff available to look after these animals.

Vaccination is needed in the Ukraine, but paperwork to prove that vaccination has taken place is not likely to be uppermost in people’s mind as they flee their country.

Fish and chip shops are feeling the pressure as shortages of haddock, sunflower oil, flour and future threat to, potato supplies.

Prices have gone up, changes to menus and some have closed down as the oil price has increased sharply and sanctions on Russian white fish would push prices up further.

Fertiliser costs will drive up potato prices and overall it is not a rosy picture for this British traditional fast food sector.

The government is certainly in disarray over what to do about the cost of living crisis. It defies belief that the windfall tax is being resisted on ideological grounds!

Whatever the merits of a windfall tax, it seems that unearned windfall profits especially as everyone else is suffering, are ripe for some extra taxation. This is highly likely to take place, but the government has managed to make such a hash of it that whatever it does now, it will get no credit.

Indeed it is in such a mess and so bereft of ideas; paralysed by scandal that Ian Duncan Smith has had to speak out demanding action on Universal Credit to help the poorest.

Yet Rishi Sunak seems determined not to do this, which is so obvious that everyone else can see the need.

To add to people’s misery there are now threats of strikes. So bad is the timing of this outrageous threat that there is every likelihood of further curbs on trade union power and that will present a severe test for Keir Starmer; one which he must pass.

The trade union movement have not come out of the pandemic well and further pain inflicted on people now will mean they deserve a rap on the knuckles.

Plans to shrink the Paris ring-road from eight lanes to six whilst, planting trees on the freed up land in order to create a green belt; has to be the height of madness.

The socialist city mayor Anne Hidaglo is determined to tame the 32 mile ‘peripherique’, but anyone who has spent time on it will know what a crazy idea this is.

‘Revegetation is an extraordinary and fabulous lever for transforming this entire territory’, she said.

Proof that there are crazy ideas in every country! Pic: Getty Images