I have worked out a "cunning plan" that we can use to escalate our campaign. Our problems have been
1. The lack of numbers of "activists".
2. The distances involved (fuel,time getting there).
3. Lack of financial resources.
4. The speed at which MAFF can respond.
5. The bullying tactics of MAFF to unprepared farmers.
6. Lack of awareness of farmers as to their rights.
There are many more difficulties, but these will do to work on.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO BE THERE BEFORE MAFF
How do we do that?
We know where the current outbreaks are, and, we have a good idea locally of
where they may extend to. Those are PRIORITY areas. I suggest that we can
make huge inroads USING OTHERS
Question? WHO HAS MOST TO LOSE other than the farmers?
Answer - The FEED MERCHANTS - no animals, no feed sales = no business
left. (also machinery sales firms)
Here is what I suggest, with humility, it can be amended as appropriate to
the activist/area/merchant
1.Use YELLOW PAGES to look up the area's AGRICULTURAL MERCHANTS/HAY & SEED
MERCHANTS.
2. Print off a copy of LEGAL & HELP SHEETS from warmwell.com or
cullmaff.com. You may also want to print off a success story like the Brecon
Lloyds. If you can spare the time, reprint highlighting in RED items that
you feel important and that you can speak passionately about e.g. for me
that would be lying about loss of compensation -just one example, that can
get lost in the mass of words - TO MAKE THE FARMER THINK Also, if you
feel able, enclose an extra sheet with your details for any local farms to
contact you.
3. Phone and MAKE AN APPOINTMENT to see the boss/m.d. of the feed
merchants - try not to say why, just that it would be to their financial
advantage, but that you are not selling anything!! If you are pressed,
outline their potential loss of business if things get any worse and suggest
that they will be protecting their income AND enhancing their customer
relations by being seen to care. YOU COULD AS A LAST RESORT JUST TURN UP -
but only explain to STAFF as a last ditch attempt, in the hope that they
might pass it on - the boss is the prime target.
4. Hopefully, reasonably tidily dressed, you will arrive there, and although
we are all very upset, and therefore emotional about what is happening,
concentrate on the loss of money to the business - we know 8 million animals
would have ate a lot of feed!!!! Most of these bosses are not aware of what
the farmer can do to prevent MAFF doing their work. Show the person your
'fact-pack' - tell of the VERY brave few who have succeeded
5. Persuade them to copy off your fact pack for EVERY ONE of their customers
and,at a small cost to their business to INVEST in their future business
AND goodwill, by mailing the pack to every customer - MARKED URGENT on the
envelopes (explain that the customer might just think it is another
circular.)
6. Offer your help to organise it if you feel it is appropriate.
7. As a last resort, ask if they would provide a list of their customers to
you, although they will probably decline - but if you don't ask...
If they will not help at all, get local horse owners etc.. to badger them
into submission - threats of lost sales do wonders!
8. If you feel unable to do that, an alternative is to use Yellow Pages to
identify farms in your area (or as appropriate) and to mail them with
fact-packs, help numbers - BEFORE THEY ARE HIT.
I hope that this may be of use to the many who have said or written," What can
we do?" I truly believe that this will cause MAFF a few problems and give our
farmers help and support BEFORE they need it - Not when it's too late. We
are all working to one aim, to stop this stupid, bloody massacre - we must
try anything and everything. Regards and good luck to you all - "those who
care"
Stuart W. Brown. p.s. if you want to e-mail insults to me, do so on
stubro@lineone.net, or mob.no. 07957957109 -Again GOOD LUCK.
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