YP Letters: Welcome for changes to farm support

OF&G welcomes aspects of the new Agriculture Bill, particularly the shift from the current direct payment subsidy system to a new environmental land management system where farmers will be paid for ‘public goods’. Improving air and water quality, providing habitats for wildlife, reducing flood risks and improving animal welfare, are already key criteria for organic producers.

George Eustice: Ploughing on with agricultural reform – and Brexit

While the proposed increased investment in research and development is also welcome news, this must include further development in ecological farming approaches, which we know, is a key component in the delivery of these public goods.

It’s vital that the new land management scheme recognises the diversity of farming systems in producing food efficiently, while supporting improvements to the environment, to ensure the delivery of a truly ‘Green Brexit’ for farmers, food manufacturers and consumers.

OF&G looks forward to working with Government to progress some of the key areas within the new agricultural policy, including ecological innovation, which the organic sector has pioneered.

UK has been staunch ally

From: Gordon Conyers, Norristhorpe, Liversedge.

JAMES Bovington (The Yorkshire Post, September 12) doesn’t seem to know much about how loyal this country is to our European friends, despite the fact that Michel Barnier’s remit is to punish us and set an example to the rest of the EU. At this moment two squadrons of the German Air Force, one Tornado and one Eurofighter Typhoon, are at RAF Coningsby as part of Exercise Cobra Warrior. They are joined by Typhoons of the Italian Air Force based at RAF Waddington. The exercise finishes on September 21. I’d call that co-operation at least.

Perhaps a better example of a staunch ally is the British aid being given to the French in their anti- terrorist campaign in Mali.

Mr Bovington may be ashamed of this country. I am not. We have risen above the mess of Brexit and have been staunch allies. We are a great country and, if you’d come out of the cul-de-sac and raise your eyes to the outside world, you may may see that there are opportunities. It may be hard for a time, but it can be done. Indeed it will be done.

From: Dr JP Whiteley, Stonedale Close, Pool-in-Wharfedale.

IN response to James Bovington, membership of Nato has kept Europe safe – not membership of the EU. We must remember also that Nato is essentially the US backed up by its closest ally – the UK.

Airport’s bad impression

From: Bob Watson, Baildon.

DAVID Laws, the chief executive of Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA), has announced a multi-million pound expansion that will create “an airport Yorkshire can be proud of” (The Yorkshire Post, September 14).

While that is to be welcomed, it has to be asked whether the new terminal building will include additional airbridges?

If LBA is indeed to be brought into the 21st century, then they really should be ensuring that having to walk or be bussed across the apron is either eliminated or vastly reduced.

This should surely be an absolute priority for the highest passenger airport in the country, as current first impressions are certainly not good.

Police being run down

From: Bob Simons, 
Rowborn Drive, 
Oughtibridge, Sheffield.

THE Government’s reckless running down of the police service continues with it refusing to implement the three per cent pay rise recommended by the Independent Pay Review Body, citing the need to show “fairness to taxpayers”.

If the Government wants to show such fairness, it needs to ensure that the police are adequately funded to provide the service we need – and are entitled to.

As things stand, the public is getting the police service that the Government deserves.

Rein in rogue landlords

From: Ian Wilson, White Street, Selby.

THE only way to procure long and lasting chains of good family social housing is to rein in all rogue landlords (Justine Greening, The Yorkshire Post, September 15). They must be brought to book, and the housing market itself needs vast reductions in house prices. This has become a false ‘cash cow’ for so-called housing punters for year upon year, the result of bulging property prices.

Blunder not a gender issue

From: Elisabeth Baker, Leeds.

CORRESPONDENTS have responded to my letter and that of another writer about the inaccuracy of using a polar bear to represent one of Captain Cook’s voyages. But what these correspondents have failed to notice was that the bear was created “to represent the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s voyage to the Pacific and the Southern Oceans in 1768”.

Yes, Captain Cook sailed to the North as well. Yes, there are polar bears in the North. But no, there are none in the South. This is the point which my fellow-correspondent and I were making.

Incidentally, those who wrote referred to us as “the ladies”. I am no feminist and it is always nice to be referred to as a lady, but were the men who wrote thus implying that, as women, we were ignorant of facts?