I HOPE all Gazette & Herald readers have enjoyed the Christmas break as much as my family, and somehow this year there seems to have been an extra day to prepare for the great event, which meant that my annual last minute shopping at Yates was not carried out with the usual panic, and I managed a more leisurely selection of presents.

Our local turkey, bought from the auction, was magnificent and has so far served 20 helpings - they seem to go on for ever - and ours, despite being single breasted and drumstickless, will provide plentiful pickings for another day or two.

Our family service this year was at Gate Helmsley and the congregation was packed with lovely noisy children together with their latest portable presents.

Jeremy Valentine played a novel version of "Who wants to be a millionaire?" giving away blessings instead of silly old pound notes. I am afraid I lost out on the 250,000-blessing question which was "How many kings went to visit Jesus?". The answer I am afraid is not three but "We don't know", as we have only assumed the number of kings from the number of gifts that are recorded.

The traditional flood of shoppers in the rush up to Christmas may be a thing of the past if internet retail sales continue to grow as they have in the past 12 months. In the Millennium year, current estimates showed on-line sales have tripled to a staggering £1.35 billion.

With my limited technological expertise, I am also staggered that 4m people have purchased retail products on-line; and all the major supermarkets appear to be lined up with their web sites to charm us.

The internet is something to face, but we mustn't get it out of perspective at the moment. These mega numbers that are being tossed about still only represent 0.7pc of total retail sales and most of the pure on-line retailers are losing money.

My son-in-law farms in Norfolk and has been hard hit by the swine fever restriction zone which has prevented producers selling pigs, whether they are affected or not by the disease.

At long last, just before Christmas, the order was lifted from virtually every farm in East Anglia and we now have to count the cost of this latest swine fever outbreak, generated most probably from infected imported meat.

We have been forced to dispose of and pay for 191,168 pigs so far.

Another excellent bit of news, to boost beef farmers, is the long-awaited decision from MAFF to abolish the 90-head limit on claims for the Beef Special Premium. It should have been done years ago but, as with most things, I am afraid they just don't listen.

Anyway, the limit is now off for 2001 and this will free up many specialist beef producers who have been unable to compete on equal terms.

I have just received another update on premium rates for 2001 and I have put the rates for last year in brackets.

Steers £82.99 per head, (£76.45); young bulls £112.89, (£100.27); Suckler Cow Premium £111.06, (£102.15); Slaughter Premium £32.34, (£16.92); Extensification 1.6-2.0 livestock units/ha £20.14, (£20.68); less than 1.6 LU/ha £40.27, (£41.36).

Whilst on a Boxing Day six-mile hike around Thixendale, I couldn't help but admire the beautifully laid out game crops and newly-planted coverts.

This in turn made me ponder and applaud a diversification which not only makes the best use of natural resources but also brings in much needed extra income.

Before the Labour front benches become paranoid about a fresh rural target, I would refer them to a very interesting article in the Daily Telegraph given to me by my Ryton correspondent and headed: "Let's not get in a flap over pheasants".

Country sports generated an estimated £3.2 billion for the rural economy and are probably the main reason why our countryside is brimming with bio-diversity.

Not many estates can afford the luxury of just presenting wild birds and therefore have to rely upon hand-reared game for the bulk of their numbers. However, the vast majority of shoots act responsibly and do not allow stocking densities that are too high; but I fear that sound reason backed by scientific research matters little when it comes to the emotive issue of animal welfare in the minds of the urban majority.

Having watched Tony Banks ranting uncontrollably during the hunting debate, we are in for a long hard fight, but it is one which we must not give up.

I have a splendid Kiwi son-in-law who gave a perspective from down under and who found it incomprehensible that we should be seriously considering destroying the very fabric of our country life for which Britain is cherished across the globe.

MAFF has just announced the details of the Pig Outgoers Scheme and I have got a copy of the Valuers' Guidelines. Pig producers may be interested to note some of the following:

The scheme is eligible to applicants who are not only current pig producers but also to those who have given up production but were in pig breeding in June 1998.

Acceptance into the scheme commits the applicant to decommissioning all units under his control and permitting no pig use on any of his land for a period of 10 years.

Two valuations are required for the breeding facilities themselves; and for the loss in value of the holding as a result of banning pig production.

The applicant can make up his own mind as to what compensation he wants in order to submit to the scheme restrictions; and although there is no guarantee that his "bid" would be accepted, it is still his judgment as to what figures go in.

Anybody interested, please make contact.

Market arrangements have been disrupted but there will be a store market on Friday, December 29.

The usual fatstock market will be held on Tuesday, January 2, and will follow York on the same day. For further details please give us a ring.