March Letters to the Editor

 

(The Editors are not responsible for opinions expressed, although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information. The editors reserve the right to protect the anonymity of anyone who wishes to contribute articles or letters for the magazine provided they are aware of the identity of any such person. )

 

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I would like to thank Mike Tucker for taking over the gardening spot in What’s On. It’s good to have a fresh approach and his first column in the March edition was most enjoyable and informative. I look forward to his future articles.

Good wishes,

              Trevor

 

 

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I would like to thank everyone who sponsored my walk for Hospice Care. Your generosity is much appreciated. I was able to give the charity £165 00

Thank you all.

          Ian Ellis

 

 

 

 

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EU Regulations on the Sale of CABBAGES

 

The entry on page 5 in the March 2017 edition of ‘Wenvoe What’s On’ is an example of how easily unsubstantiated, or erroneous, statistics can become embedded in the public domain. This very statistic was the subject of scrutiny by the excellent BBC Radio 4 programme ‘More or Less’ which analyses the validity data, particularly those that may have been used to support political arguments. Anyone who would like further specific information on this particular quotation might like to download the ‘More or Less’ podcast as the ‘statistic’ does have a very interesting history, but the short answer is that the number of words in the EU Regulation on the Sale of CABBAGES is not 26911, but ZERO, because no such EU regulation exists.

There are, of course, detailed and wide-ranging regulatory standards governing the production and sale of nearly all farm produce, and the most comprehensive are those of the product assurance schemes. Food from producers and processors who able to meet the necessary standards is eligible to carry the Red Tractor logo which provides an assurance to consumers that what they are buying conforms to the highest standards of quality and welfare. The specifications are very detailed and are subject to rigorous inspection throughout the chain from producer to retailer. However, these have little to do with the EU as they are primarily UK initiatives. They are also entirely

voluntary although most responsible producers and processors have elected to join and have invested the time (and money) necessary to meet the scheme requirements. So, look out for the logo – not only does it confirm the best quality and welfare standards, but any product that carries the Red Tractor logo will also be 100% British.

Robert Reader

Burdons Farm Wenvoe

 

 

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