Mrs Down's Diary

Back home again after our trip up to the Western Isles. A revelation in terms of farming environment and the impact of Government dictates on farming. There were far fewer sheep and cattle than we have seen before. It is becoming less viable to farm stock nationally and in places like the Western Isles, more money can be made by tourism.

It is becoming less viable to farm stock nationally and in places like the Western Isles, more money can be made by tourism. This is all well and wonderful in terms of farm diversification, but the impact on the environment can already be seen. For example, who needs to care for dry stone walls if there are no sheep in the fields.

On Mull, where the Sea Eagles were successfully introduced from Norway, the RSPB guides we spoke to at a hide, are already concerned about food sources for their birds.

Farmers have been exceptionally tolerant of the birds taking the odd sickly lamb because they are compensated by a local scheme that acknowledges that these birds are predators. However, the farmers themselves have been going out of sheep in a big way and there are thousands less sheep on the island than there were a few years ago.

The iconic cattle of the islands with their huge, lethal horns, still have to have two tags inserted into the ears of their calves within twenty days, or their owners face stiff penalties.

With one farmer already crushed to death this year and many others seriously injured by protective Mums when their calves are seen to be under threat, all DEFRA can say is that they see no reason to change their rulings. Bet they would change it very quickly if they were on the other end of a pair of yard long horns.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette June 6