I WAS very interested to read in the Shuttle on April 5, Rita Evans's letter stating that farmers must take blame for foot and mouth due to their bad farming practices.

Having seen first hand last week young, new-born, lambs dying before my eyes due to their exposure to foot and mouth disease I find it ironic that Mrs Evans believes that "it is not about animal welfare - they don't die of it". The heart muscles of young animals are restricted and they stop breathing.

She also states bad farming practices cause foot and mouth.

Foot and mouth is a virus not present in the UK for over 34 years. The cause has been brought to our island possibly by meat imports, legal or otherwise, as a result of the strong pound and an old-fashioned idea that we should support our old colonies.

For the last five years British beef has to be from animals under 30 months, however one local authority wrote to butchers stating that over 30-month beef could be sold as long as it came from 14 named countries.

At least five of these have had recent outbreaks of foot and mouth, none of which would be farm assured, and some of which still use growth promoting hormones.

We as consumers expect the highest standards from UK farmers - however cost is the main consumer concern and cheap food is in demand. All health issues are shelved or overlooked concerning cheap imports.

All imports of sub-standard meat products should be suspended.

Livestock is transported throughout the UK to slaughterhouses because of EU legislation which is cost prohibitive to the smaller local abattoir, forcing the closure of such operations. Locally, in Kidderminster, we have experienced the closure of a livestock market and four abattoirs.

So local livestock travels distances to central plants, most of which is under the direction of the four main supermarkets.

Foot and mouth is a tragic disease, destroying rural fabric which has far-reaching unthinkable repercussions for rural life.

MARTIN CLACK

Highfield Road

Kidderminster