MICHAEL Cleary turned up at the office yesterday with a huge PVC banner which would quite easily double up for a wedding marquee in the summer; and which announced the first farmers market of the year this Saturday. Apart from the banner, which is worth coming to see on its own, Michael and Charlie Breese have put together yet another record array of over 25 stalls, ranging from cakes to kippers, lamb to ham and of course the 3 Bs - Best British Beef.

Bearing in mind that last January we didn't even hold a market, and in February there were only nine stalls, this really is an extraordinary explosion of activity, reflecting a new empathy between consumer and producer; and satisfying a growing demand to know where the food on our plate comes from.

Although Yorkshire naturally leads the country, farmers market fever has caught on throughout Britain and, next Monday, there is the first major meeting of a national association.

Back at home, the Ryedale extravaganza will be set out in the sheep market at Malton from 8.30am, accompanied by an auction sale at 11am.

Charlie tells me that there is a good entry for this, also, so give him and Michael your support this Saturday.

Ever since Black Wednesday, in March 1996, Europe has regarded BSE as being a peculiarly British disease, but these last 12 months has seen a rude awakening to the mote in their own eye.

I have repeatedly told them from this column that BSE was bound to be endemic on the continent if only for two basic reasons -

- Up to 1996, we exported thousands of dairy cattle and some of these were sure to be carriers.

- Meat and bone meal, thought by many to be the root cause, has continued to be manufactured in Europe and even for a time imported from these shores.

Now, the panic has really set in and the new German agriculture minister is predicting that there will be between 200 and 500 cases in that country this year. As Europe struggles to come to terms with BSE my concerns are twofold:

- British beef is now certainly the safest in Europe, and probably in the world, and our consumers deserve protection from tainted imports, especially having gone through the pain, and not a little criticism, of the last few years.

Already, there were tales last week of German beef being cut up in Ireland and repackaged for the supermarket shelves of this sceptred isle.

- There should be a level playing field which we must fight to achieve.

The latest inconsistencies have appeared in the table of compensation to be paid in the various countries for animals "purchased for destruction". This is the equivalent of our Over Thirty Month Scheme, in which we receive around £300 for cows and around £330 for clean cattle.

First indications from the continent are very variable, with Ireland, at the bottom of the league, receiving £265 for cows; Germany £335 but France £445.

When one looks at the compensation for steers, the difference is even wider, with Ireland paying its producers £500 and France a staggering £650.

We need to be vigilant, and watch this space.

We are now well under way with valuations for the Pig Outgoers Scheme, which is an unique lottery affair.

It was introduced to compensate farmers for decommissioning their pig units by August 31 this year, and the objective was to reduce sow numbers in this country by 16pc as compared to June 1998.

Two factors have combined to distort the potential achievements of the scheme.

- Firstly, the pig crisis had already dictated a huge drop, of 20pc, in our pig breeding herd and, therefore, presumably we don't want any further cuts.

- Secondly, besides compensating those who intend to go out of pigs, the scheme also provides for compensation for those who have already gone out, but will sign up to stay out for the next ten years. All the clients we represent are in this category of producer.

Another unique element of the Pig Outgoers Scheme is that there is no set figure for compensation and the individual applicant can, with his valuer, decide what to tender for compensation; and, if the tender is accepted by the ministry, the applicant will receive 60pc of the sum from Government.

Any ex-pig producers wanting to take advantage should get in touch with their valuer.

An interesting consequence of the pig crisis, which has been further encouraged by the Outgoers Scheme, is the affect on the balance of payments.

Throughout the 1990s, we were a net exporter of pig meat, having a surplus of between 45,000 and 75,000 tonnes each year; but last year there was a complete reversal and the UK now shows a deficit of 60,000 tonnes.

In very round terms, therefore, there has been a swing of 100,000 tones which is now available for our European piggy partners.

When you combine this with the shortfall in beef, organic produce and protein, the national strategy is in serious need of review.

Next, some news items in brief, which you should know about:

- The retrospective date chosen under the Extensification Scheme for a spot check is December 18, and you will need to add up your stock on that date.

- The swine fever outbreak in the UK is officially over. In the end, only 16 cases were confirmed but the scare resulted in an EU-wide export ban; restrictions on 1,500 pig units; the death of 250,000 pigs; and a cost to the UK of around £18m.

- The Iceland frozen food shopping chain went totally organic in its veg section before Christmas, but due to a drop in sales/profits has reversed the policy. I make no comment, other than it's a bit sad that the scheme wasn't sustainable.

- I would, however, be very critical of Channel 4's production on the animal rights protesters which was screened on Sunday night. It seemed to me to be extremely biased, portraying those engaged in criminal activities as folk heroes. I heard an aftermath comment, that if drugs were not tested on animals then we wouldn't have any.

- Colchester has become a beacon for livestock auction marts in East Anglia, announcing that its throughput of fat cattle increased by 36pc last year, following a 100pc increase the year before. In addition, the mart put through 20,000 sheep and a smattering of pigs, but the message is a good one which we should follow in Ryedale.

- Judy found her first snowdrops of the year in our back wood.

Tuesday saw a healthy lift in numbers, and we had over 260 cattle to sell on a sensible trade. John Cundall offered the bulls and Continentals would average around 94p per kilo, with the best from Eric Burnett hitting 114p per kilo.

John Halkon had a heavyweight at 109p which would also add up well.

Michael Harrison dealt with the clean cattle and the Intervention type steer was running from 98p to 102p, with a top of 109p for Mick Teasdale.

The Marwood heifers led the retail butcher section at 129p per kilo but, these aside, there was a steady demand for anything with shape and flesh. There is still a wide divergence between top and bottom; and lowest price of the day hovered around 60p per kilo.

There were just short of 2,000 sheep, with trade very steady at 112p per kilo through the market.

Top price of the day went to Paul Allen, with a pen of heavy hoggs at 126p per kilo, and, for the first time this year, there were some hoggs that topped £60 per head.

The pig trade was slightly disappointing, averaging 71p through the market. Denis Wardle had the best pen of the day at 81.5p.

Hopefully, we can look for a bit of a lift when we get through the Christmas doldrums.

Updated: 10:21 Thursday, January 25, 2001