Also we have favourable
weather conditions for dairy farming in the UK, we can grow our own wheat,
maize and blend this with grass and grass silage for milk production.  Our
herd size is probably about three times that of the average EU farmer and we
are equipped to handle the job.

Localisation of food is also becoming important and if we can get Government
support to require supermarkets to sell, say, 25% local food (as they do in
France and Germany), it would help.

It may help if the milk quota regime is ended because the EU limit on home
production is automatically giving our market to other countries.  Once
subsidies are removed, there will be no need for quotas - however dairies
may impose a limit on what they will buy from us if they can get it cheaper
from abroad or in order not to be flooded with milk as soon as quotas are
removed.  I feel very, strongly that we should not have quotas AND low
prices - one or the other.

I may be overly optimistic but that is the only way I can continue.  What
will finally be the death of British Agriculture is sustained, UNFAIR
competition from countries that are more subsidised than us but I pin my
hopes on being in the middle of nearly 60 million people.

It would help if our Government could recognise a few of these points and
stop the discrimination against UK farmers.  There is such a tirade of spin
against farmers right now that it almost makes you want to quit.  What would
put the sh*ts up the Government would be if the NFU came out publicly and
said it was against the EUro and the EU.  It is 30 years of being in the EU,
having policies that affect us taken elsewhere, that has contributed to our
demise.  The NFU would IMMEDIATELY get the ear of the Government which would
give it the chance to get some positive changes made - at least get the Don
Curry Report off the shelf where it has been banished by the Government.  I
don't know of one farmer round here who wouldn't have us out of the EU right
now. It is crazy of the NFU to go on supporting Government policy over
Europe when it has clearly worked against us farmers.  The ONLY reason I
hear farmers saying we should stay in the EU is because the French farmers
will keep the regime afloat.  However, I think the French farmers are the
ones that will suffer when eventually, due to enlargement of the EU, the
subsidies will HAVE to be phased out.