David Handley

AN interesting little booklet dropped through the door last week. Entitled Farming Connect, its purpose apparently is to help ease my way along the stony path of a farmer’s life by offering as much assistance as possible.

Particularly so, I read, when it comes to pest control. There are, of course, plenty of pests around, principally grey squirrels, moles and rabbits, all of which are officially regarded as being in need of control.

So I was delighted to learn that a scheme now exists under which I can received a grant of up to 80 per cent of the cost of killing a grey squirrel or two, or for trapping a mole. Additionally I can be grant-aided to undertake instruction in how to trap a rabbit or a mole.

All very heartening. All very reassuring that at a time when such huge issues are clouding the sky over most farms in the country that there are still people toiling away to ensure that I am properly trained and supported to wage war on small furry creatures.

Mind you, there is some point to all this. Grey squirrels are always in the sights of the Forestry Commission because of the damage they cause to young trees. Equally they are loathed by the wildlife organisations for the way they have displaced the native red squirrel from much of its former territory.

Moles are targeted because the heaps of earth they throw up can contaminate silage grass.

Rabbits are unwanted because of the crop damage they are responsi