This week's article has been written by David Lindley...

LAST week, James reported that DEFRA had changed the ground rules for operating fat stock markets and that on a fat stock day Malton would become a dedicated slaughter market.

We can now confirm that the regulations that were printed last week have been confirmed. The main advantage is that farms currently under a 20-day standstill can now send stock into a dedicated slaughter market. The stock will, however, not be allowed to return to the farm.

Last Friday we held our first store market for sheep at Malton and it would appear we were one of the first markets in the country to obtain a licence to hold this type of sale. Trade for all stock was excellent and although there was not a large entry, due to the new rules and regulations only being confirmed on the Wednesday, vendors were pleased with the prices.

On Friday, we will be holding a store market for sheep and cattle and there is already an encouraging number of sheep entered as follows:

- D R Brotherton - 80 Suffolk x Gimmer hoggs

- G A Snowdon & Sons - 23 Mule shearlings & lambs

- R Simpson - 40 ewes and lambs

Any farmers wishing to sell store sheep must comply to the following procedures.

- A licence form for the movement of sheep and goats, which is not covered by a general licence, needs to be completed. These forms are available from either Malton Livestock Auctioneers or the local trading standards office at Northallerton: tel (01609) 781154.

- Please note that flock numbers must be recorded on this form.

- The form must be sent either by fax or post to the trading standards office 48 hours before the stock are moved from the farm. We would hope that in time that the trading standards office will be able to work on a shorter notice period.

- All sheep, including lambs, must be tagged.

- From the market, all stock will require a Sheep and Goat Interim Movement Order (SAGIMO) which will be completed by Malton Livestock Auctioneers as part of our service.

Please, could you enter all stock before the sale day as it is a help to have an indication of what stock is turning up on either a Tuesday or Friday. If anybody has any queries then please contact Paul Morse (01653) 692151.

With the changes to the sheep movement rules announced last week, it was hoped that there would be some form of relaxation to the 20-day standstill. However, at the moment this would appear unlikely.

At present, the 20-day standstill prevents the farmer who wishes to sell at a store/fat stock market and then wishes to purchase stock at another store market. The only way for a farmer to buy and sell in the same week is for the stock to be sold through a dedicated slaughter market such as Malton or collecting centre for slaughter.

It was with great relief that May 15 arrived and that all IACS forms have been submitted for another year. It always appears to be an annual rush as the deadline looms and it wasn't helped this year with farmers receiving their forms later than usual.

The Rural Payments Agency has been trying to encourage on-line submissions. However, at present only 2pc of farmers submit their forms by this method. The current system would appear to be not user-friendly and, from reports read, many people seem to spend a lot of wasted time trying to get through the security checks. We currently operate a software package called Lementary which does have an IACS package which has been approved by DEFRA together with a livestock package and anybody wishing further information is invited to contact David Lindley on (01653) 692151.

The Rural Payments Agency aims to have 90pc of the forms submitted electronically by 2004 and unless the system is made less arduous this would seem highly unlikely.

Reports in varying farming publications question how much longer subsidies will be available and Margaret Beckett is quoted as saying to a Ministerial Select Committee: "We would like to see all subsidies phased out and removed over time."

She goes on to state that "farmers provide some services, like environmental management, that are public goods and that the public should find a way of supporting them."

This would appear a typical statement from the Government which seems to have lost all direction - the farmer's primary objective is to produce high-quality food.

Just a few notes from a budding new reporter, Placey.

A better class of cattle were on offer this week since we started in Malton, with a few more producers testing the water gently at the dedicated slaughter auctions. With a bit of luck we may just have turned the corner.

Eddie Greenwood of Jacksons Meat of Wheatley Hill appeared for the first time and took his share of lambs, hoggs and cattle. We are most grateful to Jimmy Wood of Bowland Foods who has helped us from the start. George Morley had two bullocks at 108p per kilo and his distant cousin from Fylingdales followed closely with a bull at 107p. Good to see Stuart Mason, with the usual smile, with a heifer at 110p.

There was a wonderful selection of lambs on offer. The top price of £63.50 was shared by Nev Maw and John and Michael Burdass, with our old friend Sandy Hutchinson very pleased with a pen of hoggs at £69.80.

With the ewe numbers hovering around 200, it looks as though we shall be selling the ewes back in the sheep market. No doubt Ali Shan will be able to keep an eye on the opposition equally well from there.

We shall be busy for the next few days preparing for the sale of cows and calves at Danebury Manor, Flixton, for Roland Mason.

Roland has a wonderful selection of cows and calves and cows in calf and there are enquiries from far and wide. Roland has been a keen supporter at Malton since we opened and I hope we shall be able to return the compliment on Wednesday next. Please contact Boulton & Cooper (01653) 692121 if you require a catalogue

This Saturday at Malton, a farmers market is being held in the sheep shed as usual and there are a good entry of stores. There will be also the usual live auction of poultry and garden sundries and we would welcome your support

Help us to help you and phone our helplines at Malton on (01653) 697820/692151 and York on (01904) 489731

Updated: 08:58 Thursday, May 23, 2002