Sir, - Since the outbreak of spongy encephalitis (in cattle), nowhere has the expression "the staggers" been seen printed or heard. What has happened to analytical journalism? The complaint "staggers" was common enough among older ungulates before our entry to the Common Market.
Fear of hunger, and plain greed, in our ex combatant European neighbours induced them to persuade us and other partners to overproduce lakes of milk and wine and mountains of beef and dairy produce. These same dictators of the methods and principles by which we carry out animal husbandry have recently discovered that they are self sufficient.
What to do about mountains and lakes of unwanted food? Can't give them away; that would wreck the markets. So start a scare, burn it, destroy it all, compensate the grumblers a bit, and hey presto, we start all over again - only this time, on our own self sufficient terms.
Animal husbandry, how are you! We shamed and disgraced ourselves with our tethered sow's and our half Charollais calves and our caged poultry; and, saddest of all, when the markets for green organic produce are showing strong development. There has been stony silence since the outcry about the export of calves for the veal trade last January.
We pretend that it doesn't matter, that new markets have had to be reopened in Middle Eastern countries, where the word "humane" does not exist even in reference to human welfare. To lose touch with our position in charge of animals, to have no respect for them, debases us, all when we talk about our most import ant industry.
It would be a hopeful sign that journalism is well, if some of the research giving pointers to over fertilised land as a base for the outbreaks of BSE was to be published. More than the fear of contracting this condition has contributed to the decline in the consumption of beef.
Happy little anthropomorphic pictures of farm animals, painted on sandwich boards outside meat shops, will not restimulate the market. Labels saying: "This meat has been organically produced and humanely killed" might restore shopping interest. - Yours, etc.,
Prospect Terrace,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.