Let cows out-winter on the moor

It is unbelievable that Graham Harvey and scientist Zoë Harcombe have not persuaded the UK population that red meat from upland farms on areas like Dartmoor really are wonderfully healthy.

Ruminants that graze grass can provide part of a wellbalanced diet with Omega 3 balancing Omega 6 that can help prevent diabetes and cancer .

It is also unbelievable that farmers from Dartmoor were complaining that they have to take their grazing cattle off the Commons by the end of November.

This means that in-bye land on farms will have herds of cows returned to limited grazing for winter or to be put into barns where highcost fodder and often cereal and soya-based expensive cattle nuts have to be fed.

At the NFU Upland forum meeting last week Natural England told farmers from Dartmoor and Exmoor that 700 NE colleagues had to leave NE to join Defra .

This means no one is now in charge of Dartmoor and NE is finding it hard to have questions answered or even telephone calls returned by Defra.

Dartmoor Society arranged a meeting in July when Natural England , farmers and Prince’s Trust Hill Farm Project were taken for a walk over Gidleigh Common and Shovel Down by archaeologist Dr Tom Greeves. We were shown that Gidleigh Common, whilst now 95% covered in molinia over the past 25 years when it had been only 5% dominant over moorland grasses.

The track we walked on was the only area that molinia had not invaded and we were shown the Bronze Age stone circles and rows that were completely covered by ungrazed molinia.

George Eustice and Dr Therese Coffey were told by NE John Holmes and Naomi Oakley of the disastrous situation and agreed that the Commoners, including John and Robert Jordan, could outwinter their Galloway cows.

This is called a ‘trial period’ although 25 years ago from John Cooper’s farm at East Okement to Philip

Heard at Meldon there were nine farms outwintering cows, probably from the Bronze Age 3,000 years ago, until 80% had to be removed. DNPA had agreed with Dartmoor Commoners Council that grazing around heritage sites should be less that 10 centimetres in height.

Meanwhile, beef cow numbers on Dartmoor are reducing as farmers are struggling to fight rising cost and unpaid annual subsidies from Defra.

Your MP could persuade George Eustice and Therese Coffey to allow cows to stay on the Commons this winter to offset costs at least in small herds of up to 30. This has been suggested by members of the Dartmoor Commoners Council as too many cows on in-bye land around farms leads to poaching and poor welfare .

Fairfax Luxmoore

Plymouth