Defra cuts will hit Gloucestershire hard

This blog sometimes misses large chunks of my week - too much that could be scribbled here - and probably some think I could keep it shorter as it is......anyway one issue I've not covered here from last week are the cuts to Defra - £300 million that will hit coastal and river flood protection, climate change, canals, animal health - and will bear heavily upon rural counties like Gloucestershire - see my news release last week that doesn't seem to have got any coverage despite the impact on local farmers.

Photo: Cheery local pig

I was also shocked to hear from a local farmer that Defra are insisting that people moving cattle out of the Foot & Mouth zone to a clean zone have to have them blood tested. The test is provided by the same institute that released the virus - and - they have to pay the institute £16 per animal for the test!! (Plus vet charges). As the farmer said: "What an insult!"