Farmers want to buy British for their stock
If the row about adulterated beef has done nothing else, it has pointed up the fact that there is generally nothing wrong with eating horse.
Not all that long ago, it was part of our staple diet. Most of the population couldn't afford to be picky – and it's perfectly palatable.
And for at least two centuries, armies on campaign looked forward to a good battle, so that afterwards they could eat bits off the French cavalry horses they had shot.
I suspect many of us on holiday in places such as Turkey and Greece have eaten horse unknowingly (I've done it in full knowledge, when it was on the end of a kebab skewer in eastern Anatolia).
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The scandal has, of course, reinforced the "buy local" mantra, adopted by my newspaper nearly a dozen years ago.
There are parallels with the determination of farmers to buy British processed feed. An independent survey of 500 farmers has shown that nearly 70 per cent insist on British-produced feed against imports, where they have the choice.
Evidently it is a trend that has increased in recent years.
The survey, commissioned by Trident, also showed that quality and nutritional value has the greatest influence over on-farm decisions. In fact, it significantly influenced 81 per cent of feed choices, and moderately influenced another 17 per cent, making it a factor in 98 per cent of decisions.
Cost was close second, with a significant influence over 67 per cent of choices and a moderate influence over 30 per cent.
The weather and growing conditions influenced 90 per cent of decisions, while availability and choice affected 80 per cent, and storage 77 per cent. More surprising, perhaps, were the 93 per cent influenced by convenience and ease of use, and the 60 per cent by environmental impact and sustainability.
"These latest results hint at a change of focus, as environmental factors become more important to both consumers and producers," said Trident national general manager Richard Cross.
Peter Hall is farming editor of the Western Morning News
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