LATEST FROM PETER BRYANT

February 13, 2007

AI UPDATE – TUESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY

At 5 pm on Monday 12th February I sought an update from the policy team at DEFRA regarding lifting of restrictions. I was advised that the incident in Suffolk was going well and, all things being equal, we could expect an announcement in about 2 weeks time that would in effect let bird gatherings (sales, shows, racing etc where birds are from more than one loft) be reinstated. It was also hopeful that an announcement on continental racing be made at the same time. So far so good! I went home, watched the BBC 6o/c news and nearly fell off the settee. David Miliband, the Secretary of State announced that processing would recommence at the Bernard Matthews farm on Tuesday.

I could not wait to get to work on Tuesday as there were several questions that I believed DEFRA needed to answer. The e mail I sent to the Deputy Chief Vet, copied to everyone in the stakeholder poultry group of which we are a member, said “I have to say that I have found the announcement by David Miliband that processing at the Matthews plant can resume somewhat incredulous. Mr Milliband has also stated that "our investigation of the cause of the outbreak continues. Nothing I have been told changes the working hypothesis about the most likely route of transmission following the genetic sequencing results reported last Thursday, but all options remain under consideration"

Excuse me for feeling rather cynical here but it would seem that the might of a large regional producer sat right in the middle of an infected premises is getting special dispensation to continue its financial activities. What about all the other activities, financial as well as social, in other parts of the unaffected country? I am sure that my colleagues in the Stakeholder Group would agree that their financial activities have been curtailed by the ban on gatherings. My members will draw the same conclusions.

When then can we expect the current restrictions in the unaffected rest of the UK to be lifted? From where I am sitting there is little risk from AI because if Matthews' plant is able to restart its activities yet you do not know for sure where the transmission came from, what sort off signal is that sending to Stakeholders? I would be interested to hear other stakeholder comments.”

I immediately received several e mails and one phone call from stakeholders offering support for my comments. As we go to press, no word yet from DEFRA. Watch this space!

Peter Bryant

February 13, 2007

This is the classic scenario, scientific and logical arguement means little when you are dealing with big business and politicians. Sadly the approach has to be more manipulative and a**e licking at times to get where we need to be.

Well done Peter straight on to it , keep the political presure/lobbying going this is where we will get results, and I hope Peter can contact the media to highlight this hypocricy (if of course he feels that would be the correct action)

Roland · February 13, 2007

This is the classic scenario, scientific and logical arguement means little when you are dealing with big business and politicians. Sadly the approach has to be more manipulative and a**e licking at times to get where we need to be.
Well done Peter straight on to it , keep the political presure/lobbying going this is where we will get results, and I hope Peter can contact the media to highlight this hypocricy (if of course he feels that would be the correct action)

100% correct AlBear. This is still the land of 'Haves and Have Nots' regardless how well we believe that 'Education' has closed any barriers, let alone superceded any.

Paymasters make policies to suit, PR. firms embellish them and the hierarchy do just as they please.

Never mind about WHAT should or should happen, as Thatcher said to Scargill' 'When I have you by the balls the rest of your body will follow;! Never mind the squeezing to get a the tune she wanted!

And what can we do? Absolutely nothing, and they know as well as anyone else, that if a campaign or Public out cry was / is ever mounted, then by the time the dust settles all is lost, and gone as they will have you. The worse scenario is them being voted out ... by golly then we will all really suffer a lot more, so as the old adages goes 'Yours is not to reason why, but to as your told till you die'!

Seems to make a mockery of all the posts here on Bernard Matthews topic now doesn't it!

February 13, 2007

Next thing we will find out is that Bernard Matthews is going to be Knighted and become "Sir Bernard Matthews".

Yes money talks and we all know how much the Labour party like receiving money.

February 13, 2007

While I agree with the posts on the clout big business may bring to government decisions, it is the inconsistency with which those decisions are being applied and the apparent lack of knowledge behind them that has been the subject of many of my posts.

On the same day the genetic sequencing proves a link between Hungary and England, and before anyone has determined beyond doubt what that link is, the processing plant starts up again. Asking for trouble I think.

And showing apparent favouritism towards one producer .. the one at the centre of attention ... is asking for trouble too. Like a consumer backlash for example.

February 13, 2007

Next thing we will find out is that Bernard Matthews is going to be Knighted and become "Sir Bernard Matthews".
Yes money talks and we all know how much the Labour party like receiving money.

Too late! He knocked back receiving his gong from Bucky palace because the ceremony would have been held in the middle of this incident, Gareth.

tubbles · February 13, 2007

It (like everything else in this country) boils down to money. If you can show that the loss of income is substantial and i'm sure that fancy lawyers can do this easily, The government will buckle down. After all if this had been livestock you could be sure that the likes of Horse trainers (Sport of Kings) would have found some legal loophole to allow them to carry on racing regardless.

We can't train together or even meet up with birds unless we go all dick turpin like and I live a couple of hundred miles from the problem area. Yet Bernard matthews will fill up his shed with NEW birds which will just 'appear' within the exclusion zone. And where will that leave us if they get re-infected straight away, looking at another 6week wait to get the all clear. Life stinks.

I think this could happen every season now because we start racing as the migration starts. >

February 13, 2007

peter bryant needs to push on the fact that this infected factory is now free to do wot they like, and if they restrict pigeon shows /racing any further then this week then they are victimising a sport which has no connection with the infected factory and its problems. surely theres a case for unfair trading...bernaud matthews can and the likes of the pigeon shows cannot.

jimmy white · February 13, 2007

yes indeed [conclusions drawn] ,,,, money talks ok,,,,,,,it says goodbye ;D ;D for me anyway ;D ;D ;D

February 14, 2007

Yes doom and gloom..............but let's hang on,the pot is still half full at the mo, we are fortunate in having a GM that will work his b==ls off to sort this out, we did fly 400 mile to my place last year and there has been a lot of scientific evidence to help our cause. The way the turkey issue has been gobbled up is galling..............let's hold our breath and wait and hope that all fanciers get the type of racing they want. We will race this year of that I have no doubt........