“I am sure Fiona Galbraith believes what she has written, but it is sad that she is just trotting out the untrue propaganda spread by Viva for years ¿ their remit being to convince everyone to become vegan and stop all livestock farming and largely aimed at vulnerable school children.

She states that ¿millions of lambs freeze to death in this Country every year¿ ¿ in reality farmers cannot make a profit - necessary to re-invest in good welfare - if they allow millions of animals to die! ¿ Leather is derived from young beef and dairy cattle¿ ¿ I think not, usually leather is a bi-product from mature animals slaughtered for meat. She states that ¿wool in their jumper comes from wool stripped from dead sheep¿ and that sheep are hurt by the clippers during shearing. Wool for clothing, carpets etc. comes from wool shorn off live sheep in order that they are not too hot in summer, usually by very experienced shearers. Shearing is an act of good welfare for the sheep and in recent years farmers have received less for their wool than the cost of shearing.

I am unqualified to comment on the fur trade, or silk production but as a past member of the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) I am able to comment on livestock farming in the UK. There is a legal requirement to satisfy the Five Freedoms identified by FAWC
· Freedom to from hunger and thirst
· Freedom from discomfort
· Freedom from pain, injury and disease
· Freedom to express normal behaviour
· Freedom from fear and distress

Farm animal welfare in this Country is among the highest in the world and the quality of our livestock, especially in the West Country is among the best in the world. Many farmers voluntarily adopt welfare systems which are well above those required to meet the minimum standard. For this reason home grown meat is likely to cost more than meat imported from Countries with lower welfare standards; imported meat is often be labelled in a misleading manner as ¿packed in the UK¿ giving the impression that it is British.

When animal welfare problems arise often they are due to of ignorance by people who acquire animals but do not have the knowledge or skills to look after them properly, sometimes lack of adequate funding or ill health which becomes a vicious circle. Sadly, in society and in any profession there are always a few ¿bad apples¿ who should be punished - witness Dr. Shipman, and the Baby P case, but not every doctor, and not all parents are potential murderers. Similarly with farmers.

The majority of our farm animals enjoy a much higher standard of welfare in life, and in death, than some of the old people in care or in hospitals in this Country ¿ with apologies to all those dedicated carers and hospital staff who provide good care. The nutrition of many children is infinitely inferior to that of most farm animals.

Some people can thrive on a vegetarian diet but for others meat is essential to their well being. Animals have been part of the Devon landscape for hundreds of years and without livestock farming the countryside would look very different. It is good for the environment, especially in the uplands. Tourism in this County is dependent on the beauty of our landscape and coast, which without grazing animals would be compromised.

All animals being free and wild sounds very romantic, but it does not exclude them from suffering and hardship - they do not have the services of a vet when they are injured or ill, they do not have food provided for them and they do not have shelter from the elements in winter. Their young may die at birth or while young ¿ wild is not always wonderful.

Those who keep animals they have a moral responsibility to look after them well whether they are pets or farm animals. Viva are more concerned with getting rid of all livestock farms, not in good farm animal welfare. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust recommend that if”