fraggle 4 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Rt Hon David Miliband MP Secretary of State. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Nobel House 17 Smith Square London SW1P 3JR 26/10/09 Dear Secretary of State, My friend, who is in farming at the moment, recently received a cheque for £3,000 from the Rural Payments Agency for not rearing pigs.. I would now like to join the "not rearing pigs" business. In your opinion, what is the best kind of farm not to rear pigs on, and which is the best breed of pigs not to rear? I want to be sure I approach this endeavour in keeping with all government policies, as dictated by the EU under the Common Agricultural Policy. I would prefer not to rear bacon pigs, but if this is not the type you want not rearing, I will just as gladly not rear porkers. Are there any advantages in not rearing rare breeds such as Saddlebacks or Gloucester Old Spots, or are there too many people already not rearing these? As I see it, the hardest part of this programme will be keeping an accurate record of how many pigs I haven't reared. Are there any Government or Local Authority courses on this? My friend is very satisfied with this business. He has been rearing pigs for forty years or so, and the best he ever made on them was £1,422 in 1968. That is - until this year, when he received a cheque for not rearing any. If I get £3,000 for not rearing 50 pigs, will I get £6,000 for not rearing 100? I plan to operate on a small scale at first, holding myself down to about 4,000 pigs not raised, which will mean about £240,000 for the first year. As I become more expert in not rearing pigs, I plan to be more ambitious, perhaps increasing to, say, 40,000 pigs not reared in my second year, for which I should expect about £2.4 million from your department. Incidentally, I wonder if I would be eligible to receive tradable carbon credits for all these pigs not producing harmful and polluting methane gases? Another point: These pigs that I plan not to rear will not eat 2,000 tonnes of cereals. I understand that you also pay farmers for not growing crops. Will I qualify for payments for not growing cereals to not feed the pigs I don't rear? I am also considering the "not milking cows" business, so please send any information you have on that too. Please could you also include the current Defra advice on set aside fields? Can this be done on an e-commerce basis with virtual fields (of which I seem to have several thousand hectares)? In view of the above you will realise that I will be totally unemployed, and will therefore qualify for unemployment benefits. I shall of course be voting for your party at the next general election. Yours faithfully, Gary Cobb E-farms R us. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
david2363 42 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 That is just the best! :clapper: :clapper: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Buch 145 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jasper65 6 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Gary Cobb needs a medal for that one Pig Rearing it is for me from now on then .......... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Gary Cobb needs a medal for that one Pig Rearing it is for me from now on then .......... Do you mean non pig rearing? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Leeview 791 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 its very true that the govt are making these payments to no longer pig farmers, what also needs pointing out(dont think GC mentioned)that the payment is an anual payment lasting 10yrs Y.I.S Leeview Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arnieboy 93 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 put me down for some of that im off to not build my stys now and phoned 2 suppliers for no pigs money here i come . ps were do i put all the s??t ? answers on a postcard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob.i 26 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 on your non growing vegetable fields? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Swampy 147 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Gary Cobb needs a medal for that one Pig Rearing it is for me from now on then .......... Do you mean non pig rearing? Can you make retrospective calims for payment? My family and I have Not been rearing pigs now for centuries! Swampy Swinening Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poacher3161 1,766 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Wats the law in rearing pigs in council house gardens.I will have some of that Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wanna be farmer 0 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Just goes to show what a mockery the Government are now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gonetoearth 5,144 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 put me down for some of that im off to not build my stys now and phoned 2 suppliers for no pigs money here i come . ps were do i put all the s??t ? answers on a postcard as there will not be any shit you can apply for set aside , Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arnieboy 93 Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 put me down for some of that im off to not build my stys now and phoned 2 suppliers for no pigs money here i come . ps were do i put all the s??t ? answers on a postcard as there will not be any shit you can apply for set aside , more money hurray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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