Farmers back ban on hunting

Dear sir - A recent advertisement in a midlands newspaper offered houses for rent so that people could use them as a base to go out hunting locally. From a farmer's point of view, this is infuriating. It is nothing more than an invitation to trespass on farmers' land, vandalise their fences and crops, disturb their livestock and put them at risk of being sued by all and sundry. As if that was not enough in these tough times, a report in the Meath Chronicle revealed that the Irish Farmers' Association was in favour of hunting and opposed Minister John Gormley's proposal to ban stag hunting. This pro-hunt stance couldn't be further from the feelings of farmers on the ground. As a farmer, an IFA chairman and someone on HQ committees for over 20 years, I know that no farmer wants any threat to his land or livelihood. None of the great racehorse breeders want hunts near their studs. Nobody wants the hunts - not in villages and not on the roads. This is 2009, not 1809 and we farmers are not tenants at the will of the landlord. Food production is up five fold since World War II and we are now commercial farmers. No trespassers or vandals are welcome. Industry won't allow you in work areas; there are signs up that have to be obeyed. Why do the hunts think they can walk on farmers' and country people's rights? Just because they may have the local district justice, senior counsels, solicitors and other self-elevated persons riding with them does not mean they can vandalise farmers' property. Who is David Wilkinson to be telling all and sundry that the IFA is in favour of hunting? We farmers are at our wits end trying to keep them out. Farmers in all parts of the country have had to shoot hunt dogs to stop them from harming farm animals. We have a bill of €32,000 against a hunt for the destruction of a whole herd of pedigree Suffolk sheep. Another farmer is owed for two heifers that were run on to a road where a car crashed into them. Others are owed for the destruction of fencing, winter crops and grassland. Is the IFA anti-farmer? How did this so-called 'Countryside Committee' worm get into the IFA woodwork? It is not elected by members so it has no mandate from farmers. It is nothing more than a con job on hardworking people. IFA, you should be ashamed for leaving the farmer to defend his farm, his crops, his livestock and his livelihood on his own. We farmers support John Gormley 100 per cent to ban all arrogant stag and fox hunting vandals from our farms. It is against all health regulations; for the TB scheme and healthy stock, there must be no disease-carrying dogs. We could all be happy - farmers, the IFA and hunts - if you would accept drag hunting on your own lands, racecourses, and pay up for all your damage. It is our compromise. Ban fox hunting and stag hunting as they have done in England, Scotland and Wales and get off our land. Members of the hunt, your vandalism is not acceptable. See www.myspace.com/farmersagainstfoxhunting. Yours, Philip P Lynch, Chairman, Farmers Against Foxhunting And Trespass.