"There will also be an Office of Retail Planning to see there is a final arbiter to see the Retail Development Plans are formulated and carried through. If for some reason this excellent idea does not get to become law, Labour and their Plaid helpers should seek to use their powers under the Government of Wales Act to introduce it here in Wales."

1. Boar,badgers and wildlife management 

2. Job opportunities at the Alliance

3. Bid in our Auction of Promises 

4. The Real Food Festival

5. Countryside Air Ambulance Appeal 

1. Boar, badgers and wildlife management 

I have never seen a wild boar in the British countryside but in many parts of the country they are increasingly seen at dawn and dusk, and on shooting days. Two years ago the Government launched a consultation on managing wild boar and on Tuesday Defra finally got round to publishing an 'Action Plan'. The actions envisaged are not for the Government, but for farmers and land managers to carry out.
 
In principle this is an approach we would support but when Government, as it nearly always does, leaves the responsibility of managing wild animal populations to farmers and land managers then it must ensure that there is clear guidance as to the framework in which management takes place, and that those left to carry out the management have the ability to do so in an effective and humane way.
 
There are still question marks over the management of wild boar. Certainly Defra has made it clear that the responsibility for management lies with land managers but avoids any suggestion of what the aim should be. Is eradication of local populations going to be acceptable as wild boar become more widespread, or alternatively will the management of boar for shooting be seen as legitimate? Tuesday's announcement does not address such questions, nor does it tackle the licensing of firearms for wild boar management.
 
It also raises questions of precedent. If, for instance, it is acceptable for landowners and local communities to decide how to manage one species why should it not be acceptable for them to decide how to manage others? The farming community in many parts of the country might well ask where this principle leaves the debate over badger management and even foxes.
 
The Scottish Government had its own input into the wildlife management debate yesterday when, following a consultation, it announced that snaring would remain legal in Scotland under strict regulation. This was a brave response in the face of a concerted animal rights campaign and suggests that the Scottish Government has faith in Scottish land managers to fulfil their wildlife management role as they see fit. Let's be clear; no-one enjoys snaring, but at some times and in some places it is an effective and humane method of fox control. Banning snaring would have made wildlife management more difficult and threatened those many species which rely on predator control to prosper.
 
This is a timely lesson for all politicians. If the responsibility for managing wildlife is to remain with farmers and land managers then government should trust them to carry out that management in the way they see fit and which is appropriate for their particular circumstances. 
 

Chief Executive 

2. Job opportunities at the Alliance 

The Countryside Alliance has two job opportunities open at present: Chief Executive of the Scottish Countryside Alliance (SCA), based in Edinburgh, and a Policy Researcher role which will be based in London.

Closely linked with a registered Scottish charity - the Scottish Countryside Alliance Educational Trust (SCAET) - the SCA is responsible for political campaigning, commercial activities & fund raising, and membership development. The SCAET undertakes projects of public benefit connected with the rural sector. The successful applicant will build on recent achievements of the SCA and provide an effective campaigning and lobbying force for the members and supporters in Scotland, and elsewhere as required.

The successful applicant for the Policy Researcher role will research, formulate and develop Alliance policy across a broad range of rural issues. He or she must be creative, hard-working and sympathetic to the principle policy strategies of the Alliance.

The Countryside Alliance is an equal opportunities employer.

3. Bid in our Auction of Promises 

The Countryside Alliance in the South West is organising an Auction of Promises to be held at Scorrier House near Redruth on 6th March 2008.  There are many interesting and varied lots that would appeal nationally, for example a box at Cheltenham and holidays in Barbados, USA, France etc, as well as some nice shooting and fishing lots.

Commission bids prior to the auction (or requests for further details) can be made in writing to alison-hawes@countryside-alliance.org.  Please include your name, address, telephone number, lot number and description along with your top bid. Check the South West web page for a full list of lots. 

4. The Real Food Festival 

The Real Food Festival is taking place at Earls Court, London, from the 24-27th April. It's a giant farmers market where you will be able to visit 500 mainly British small food and drink producers. Not only can you meet the people that reared the pigs, planted the carrots, milked the cows and crushed the grapes, you can taste their produce, learn about it, then buy it to take home.

The Festival is different because it subsidises small producers, giving them a chance to bring their produce to London. To book your tickets and for more information visit www.realfoodfestival.co.uk 

There will be magazine workshops, tastings of some of the rarest and best food in the world and in the Real Food Theatre you will be able to watch and learn from great chefs like Raymond Blanc, Shane Osborn, Thomasina Miers, Jun Tanaka and Tom Norrington-Davies. As well as the educational stuff you can pat some pigs, make your own bread, watch foodie films, take a cooking class but most importantly eat really, really good food! 

5. Countryside Air Ambulance Appeal 

The Countryside Air Ambulance Appeal (CAAA) has been setup to raise money for the Countryside Alliance and Warwickshire Air Ambulance. Various fund raising events are being organised throughout 2008. The main fund raising event is a cycle ride from John O'Groats to Lands End. We are sure this will probably feel like cycling the 'Tour de France' because it will take some twelve days of cycling in total. We are hoping to cover 85 miles a day at an average speed of 14 miles an hour. There are five teenagers and four oldies and all we need is a little fitness, motivation, support, donations and some better looks as not to frighten the locals.

On the 16th July 2008 we are looking for as many people to join us over the Severn Bridge as is possible.

Details about the CAAA and how to make donations can be found at website: www.caaa.co.uk.

Wayne Clark, organiser 

1. Three years of the Hunting Act 

2. Game-to-Eat's continuing success

3. Job opportunity - Scottish Countryside Alliance 

4. Pig farming needs your support   

1. Three years of the Hunting Act 

Monday will mark the third anniversary of the Hunting Act and, as you know, in that time just three hunts have been convicted of any offence. That is the sum total of offences committed by over 300 hunts hunting on over 50,000 days.

If this were the complete story it would simply be an indictment of the Government that it allowed so much time to be wasted on a law that has had so little impact. As we know too well, however, the waste created by the Hunting Act only started in Westminster. The tiny number of convictions hides the malicious allegations received by the police, the time spent investigating them, the hours of police time spent observing hunts, the confusion in the courts and the difficulties for those of us trying to hunt within such a bad law.

There are plenty of good reasons for scrapping the Act. For instance it would be easy to suggest that getting rid of the Hunting Act is necessary to halt the widening disconnect between rural communities and government. There has never been a greater gap between rural reality and Government policy on a range of issues and there is an urgent need for that relationship to be rebuilt. Repealing the Act simply to soothe rural concerns is not, however, a justification in itself. The last thing the countryside, or hunting, needs is to continue to be used as a political toy; pandered to by one administration and punched by another. Scrapping the Act has to be about more than political revenge.

It would also be easy for politicians to argue that the Hunting Act is now irrelevant; that it only ever affected a tiny proportion of the population and that re-opening the debate would be a distraction from issues that are far more important to the vast majority of the electorate. But that would be to miss the point.

The Act is unique in that it has failed to deliver anything for anyone. It has not improved the welfare of the quarry species, nor the lives of those in the countryside who rely economically and socially on hunting. Neither has it delivered for those who promoted it. They really wanted to see the end of the traditional hunts, which have as much support as ever. Most of all it has failed to give the police or the courts anything except additional cost, wasted time and warped priorities.

Scrapping the Hunting Act would therefore not be a backward step. It would be completely compatible with the sort of tolerant, inclusive government that all political parties claim to champion, and for which the country is increasingly crying out. 

Chief Executive

Simon has given a short interview to outline the state of play as the Hunting Act turns three, and you can view it on our website. Please follow this link to view the news clip . Please note that this will open Windows Media Player (or equivalent on your PC and you will have to confirm that you want to launch the application and view the clip.)  

2. Game-to-Eat's continuing success 

Countryside Alliance game promotion campaign Game-to-Eat had its largest-ever media reach last season.  It increased 26% on 2006 to reach an audience of 67 million - more than the population of the UK. This reach would have cost over £400,000 in advertising fees so is a serious boost to the industry and a testament to the growing popularity of game. Through coverage in a diverse range of publications from Hello to Shooting Times, game is reaching consumers and winning new fans across the country  - and this can only be good news for shooting.

Yet more positive news for game when Alex James, Britpop musician turned farmer, gave game an endorsement in the Observer recently. He said "There's something wonderfully holistic about bagging dinner with your shotgun: the 'pack-your-own' approach.  Who better to pull the trigger than the consumer?"  He goes on to say how delicious it is: "If you see game, grab it. It's a good bargain." 

3. Job opportunity - Scottish Countryside Alliance 

The Scottish Countryside Alliance (SCA) is seeking a replacement for the outgoing Chief Executive.  Closely linked with a registered Scottish charity - the Scottish Countryside Alliance Educational Trust (SCAET) - the SCA is responsible for political campaigning, commercial activities & fund raising, and membership development. The SCAET undertakes projects of public benefit connected with the rural sector.

The successful applicant will build on recent achievements of the SCA and provide an effective campaigning and lobbying force for the members and supporters in Scotland, and elsewhere as required. For a full job description and how to apply click here 

4. Pig farming needs your support 

The National Pig Association is spearheading a campaign to ensure pig farmers are paid a fair and sustainable price. They say "rocketing pig feed prices mean farmers are losing up to £26 on every pig produced. The industry is losing £6 every second which equals £3.6m a week. The increased prices that consumers are now paying need to be passed back down to farmers. If you care about preserving British pig farming and your right to choose where the pork you eat comes from..."

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