ON Monday, I got a call from a farmer in the Otley area. I had sold most of his stock for many years. In the first week of June he rang, devastated that he was to be taken out as a contiguous cull and he lost all his stock. I fully expected the news that he was going to commence restocking; but the miserable truth is that he will not be allowed to start any form of restocking until at least December 21, for which the only reason seems to be the delay in cleansing and disinfecting the farm.

He told me that with nothing else to do he went under contract to DEFRA to clean his own premises but after starting the job they were put on hold for ten weeks by the ministry following the Prime Minister's clampdown on expenditure.

Tony Blair acted hastily to try and stop civil servants handing out a range of FMD contracts at quite unreasonably extortionate rates; but in doing so he also stopped the cleanup campaign and may well have been instrumental in spreading the disease further.

Incidentally, the spending pendulum seems to have swung the other way, and my farmer friend reported that he had just cleaned out a building 30ft x 30ft full of manure for which the DEFRA inspector awarded him the grand sum of £12.50 for his efforts!

This tale of delay is repeated across the country, and John Sutcliffe in Cumbria is planning to sue DEFRA for his losses.

Mr Sutcliffe's narrative is worse still, with his pedigree Angus herd, rare breed pigs and 500 sheep destroyed on April 27. There were three men employed on the farm, and DEFRA offered him a cleaning-up contract estimated at 31 days for four men, which he accepted.

Following the Prime Minister's announcement on July 23, nothing was done and, since then, the cleaning contract has been reduced by 75pc to one man for 31 days and the three employed staff have been made redundant.

These are the critical points at issue:

The Prime Minister's standstill decision was irrational. Stop the excessive expenditure - yes, but don't hold up the disinfection process.

The holdup of the cleaning campaign may well have prolonged the disease.

DEFRA is now skimping on payments to cover up their former extravagance and there is a further biosecurity risk in so doing.

Most importantly, I believe this is the primary reason for North Yorkshire not being granted 'Free' status despite the last case being confirmed on August 17.

We were promised in writing by the minister in his autumn statement that where there was no confirmed case for three months, then the county would be declared 'Free' and because this has still not happened we are still subject to draconian movement provisions and blood testing for sheep which have reduced normal autumn transactions to a trickle.

This week, DEFRA has said that North Yorkshire's status will change to 'At Risk' and that it will consider granting 'Free' status later in December.

It is scandalous that many of us have wasted time, effort and lost a lot of money because of DEFRA's incompetence.

If cattle and sheep farmers do not make more effort to resist the proposed 20-day movement restriction, it will be imposed on them by stealth, according to the National Beef Association this week.

As far as I can see, the new measure will make it almost impossible to run mixed breeding farms in the future. For example, if you brought onto the farm a tup, some gimmers, a bull or replacement cows, then you would not be allowed to sell any stock off the farm other than for slaughter for the 20-day period.

When the Government, in the panicky days of June, consulted the industry it received an unprecedented 14,318 letters warning that the move was unworkable and only 46 in favour of its adoption.

Somehow, we have to persuade DEFRA to drop the 20-day rule once foot & mouth controls are lifted.

Ten days ago, the Intervention Board was abolished as a Government agency for paying out our subsidies and its duties handed over to the new Rural Payments Agency. This move to centralisation was heralded as a boon to farmers bringing with it swifter and prompter payments of their dues.

The new dawn has been clouded by a prompt strike of staff wanting parity of wages with heaven knows who. The action is already claimed to be holding up IACS payments and the NFU is trying to make loud noises about interest.

The European Veterinary Committee has permitted lamb to be exported from all counties with a 'Free' FMD status and this should make over 60pc of the UK sheep flock available.

With supplies tight, there have only been a few loads go to France so far, although the farm-gate price appears pretty attractive on the face of it at 220-240p/kilo deadweight. I am following a load through at the minute, so if anyone wants further information please give a ring.

The export euphoria may be short-lived as the French have taken their usual friendly unilateral action with a new decree that as of January 1, 2002, the spinal cord of all sheep over six months of age must be removed. Like their beef ban, this seems to be yet another illegal act, the prosecution of which will take years to stumble through the European Court.

Surprise! Surprise! - there is growing disillusionment amongst organic growers at their main supermarket outlets and the Soil Association this week suggested that the big stores should be legally bound to pay a fair price for organic produce; and also to source from the UK wherever possible.

The association said that most European companies enjoyed Government support for post-conversion production up to £534 per hectare and, in addition, had well-defined goals, such as 20pc in Germany by 2010.

Back in Britain, sadly, our largest organic milk co-operative admitted that it could only sell half of its production as organic and the rest was just being sold on the spot market with no premium to cover production costs.

Another example of supermarket greed is their rejection of British fruit, despite a bumper apple harvest this year. Friends of the Earth carried out a major survey of more than 130 stores and most were sourcing the majority of their fruit from abroad. Sadly, Safeway, for example, has filled 75pc of its shelf space with imported apples and pears.

Over recent years, the supermarkets have made it increasingly difficult for British growers to supply them and if orchards are not going to be grubbed up then there needs to be some assurance given to the producers.

I am afraid there hasn't been enough support for the next video auction to take place. It takes a lot of money to put the show on and the number of lots entered just didn't make it worthwhile. We have, therefore, a certain quantity of store lambs and store cattle on the books and available.

The fatstock trade remains very volatile and I issue yet another health warning against farmers trying to trade in isolation.

Having shot up to almost £2/kilo, the abattoirs tried to bring back the price with offers of 185-190p/kilo. Generally we have been able to obtain 190-200p and if export numbers become meaningful then it certainly will go further still.

Ewe prices run from 70-95p/kilo dependent on flesh.

In the pig section, we are pretty short of supplies and any contract sellers with spare production should seriously consider putting a few on the spot market as it is this which will provide a sounder base for price fixing in the future. There is very little under 105p/kilo now and the best pigs, both pork and bacon, are between 108-112p.

With cattle there has been a sudden collapse in numbers in the north and west of the country; and I have been receiving calls from abattoirs who have been silent for the past few months.

Bulls and clean on 'R' grade are now running around 170p/kilo but beware of the dressing specifications and deductions. The better retail lightweight cattle are making from 175-186p/kilo. Even the breaking-up Friesians have lifted and there is nothing much under 140p/kilo with the better Friesians heading towards 155p/kilo.

The message is simple. There will be a lot of stock undersold by unsuspecting farmers and if you don't want it to happen to you please give us a ring.

Help us to help you and phone our help lines at Malton on (01653) 697820/692151 and York on (01904) 489731.

DEADLINE: Don't forget that your application forms for Suckler Cow Premium have to be with the ministry by Thursday, December 6. Claims received after that date will be subject to a penalty

Updated: 10:41 Thursday, November 29, 2001