Making money from porkers

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Making money from porkers
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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 7:38 am Post subject: Making money from porkers
Radio 4 Monday 16:00 The Food Programme Sheila Dillon travels to Italy with pig farmers Peter Gott and Jimmy Doherty to find out why Italian pork producers are able to make more money from their herds. Repeated Sunday 12:30

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 2:24 pm Post subject:
Thanks Tahir. I'll try & watch this one- I missed the last recommendation you gave (I forget what it was now, but I got in from work just in time to realise I'd missed it )

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Sun Apr 17, 05 2:31 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Thanks Tahir. I'll try & watch this one...

I'd like to see it too! Its --Radio-- 4 !!

And the Food Programme has a "listen again" (via the web) archive...

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:01 pm Post subject:

dougal wrote:

Rob R wrote:

Thanks Tahir. I'll try & watch this one...

I'd like to see it too! Its --Radio-- 4 !!

And the Food Programme has a "listen again" (via the web) archive...

Yeah, I missed it.

Fancy forgetting about "listen again", I'm 'watching' it now, thanks

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:02 pm Post subject:
If there's ever anything you've missed just let me know I record loads of stuff...

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:13 pm Post subject:

This is a very interesting programme, the differences in regulations, you wouldn't think we were both in the EU

Just goes to show, it is not the EU's fault, but the British authorities interpretation of the rules.

Jim's right too- as far as spending on DVD's & fags, then buying cheap food, I'm inclined to agree. And also with the italian chap too about complacency in UK products- why do we accept what they'll let us have?

Last edited by Rob R on Tue Apr 19, 05 2:16 pm; edited 1 time in total

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:15 pm Post subject:
Yup, it's very easy for politicians and farmers to pin the blame on the EC but they have to accept that there's a lot that can be done by them too. (Not having a go at you, but farmers can be very narrow minded and inflexible)

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:16 pm Post subject:
Hi, Don't suppose anyone has the last episode of French Leave on VHS? We watched the entire series...then I misporgrammed the video!! She was not impressed. I know this si a bit old, but you never know..... P.S.(Preferably someone within bicycle distance of NE London)

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:19 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

(Not having a go at you, but farmers can be very narrow minded and inflexible)

I know- I encounter it every day. Ten years ago I was told that keeping Dexters was a stupid idea, I should have bought continental cattle, apparently

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:24 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

I know- I encounter it every day. Ten years ago I was told that keeping Dexters was a stupid idea, I should have bought continental cattle, apparently

How do you change that? I was talking to a farmer a couple of weeks ago about buying a field off him and he truly did think I was from outer space, he was just so stunned and almost affronted by my interest that I couldn't believe it

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:27 pm Post subject:
You just have to try & not let it get you down & show them how it can be done.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 2:31 pm Post subject:
Well if I was anywhere nearer you I'd be doing anything I could to get people looking at your operation.

sara jane goodey

Joined: 12 Apr 2005
Posts: 45
Location: north wales

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 3:01 pm Post subject: cor blimey!

TO RobR and Tahir thank your lucky stars you are not living/farming in snowdonia, farmers here are like something from outerspace!! I should know my partner is a part time farm labourer, lost out on his family farm due to ermm family problems!i'm always keeping myself unpopular by suggesting that Tir Gofal was a good thing (tir gofal is an assembly initiative to promote biodiversity with loads of grants available!!)

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45432
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: cor blimey!

sara jane goodey wrote:

farmers here are like something from outerspace!!

Glad it's not just me then, we really need a big shake up in the farming industry

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 2:12 pm Post subject: Re: cor blimey!

sara jane goodey wrote:

I am still amazed how many (farmers) give you a blank look when you mention the Countryside Stewardship scheme

Tahir wrote:

Glad it's not just me then, we really need a big shake up in the farming industry

Part of the problem stems from the fact there isn't the same viability in the industry today, and as a consequence the average age is creeping up, with no young blood to replace them. For those that are going into the business, agricultural colleges are still not treating the extensive (and organic) route and/or environmental studies (or diversification such as direct sales) a fair grounding. They are just pushing the drive for further efficiency improvements to compete on world commodity markets

There may be many more people going down the direct sales route now, but they are still seen as a relative oddity in the industry.

Farmers are generally not open to change, and for those trying to work their way up in the industry it is very difficult, because you either follow convention or you go it alone & take your chance. There is little progression & panning out of new ideas, because of the tight margins, many are afraid to try (and possibly fail) which is making many uncompetitive. Politics doesn't help, but many have gone down the route of blaming the government (& supermarkets) for everything and not thinking for themselves how they could influence change.

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