I AM always surprised, for a day or two, how bare our house looks when the Christmas decorations come down; and this unconnectedly coincides with the fall in demand for fatstock, triggered by post-festive realism that we are short of money.

The new Millennium has changed the old routine, and this year has opened out with a good trade in almost all departments. Maybe it has been triggered by the long break, which has distorted slaughtering, but I rather think that for once we have a slightly brighter prospect.

This week has seen a full market at Malton with nearly 300 cattle, 1,800 sheep and 350 pigs.

John Cundall sold the bulls, and the Continentals would average around 96p/kilo, up to a top of 114p for a smart animal produced by Adrian Stones of Ebberston. The black and white bulls were also better to sell provided they had some flesh.

Amongst the clean cattle, the strongest demand was for the heavier Continentals, which averaged 97p/kilo, and a top price of 110p came from John Raines of Ryton.

It was, however, the incomparable quality heifers from George Marwood which starred, to make the highest price of the day at 126p/kilo.

Cattle prices are really good at the moment, with the live auction becoming a price setter.

I rang one major abattoir operator this week who was moaning that he was having to put up his dead-weight price in order to attract his suppliers back and I thought to myself: "Where would we be without the auction market?"

Philip Place had an average of around 110p/kilo for the hoggs which, out of interest, is almost 20p dearer than at the same time last year.

Brian Peirson had the best of the trade, at 117p, but even moderate Mules were good to sell, and reflect both the exceptional demand spurred on by the French and perhaps a growing shortage.

Pork was the only slightly disappointing commodity, with averages struggling around 75p/kilo, which is a touch less than before Christmas.

Fred Horsley, from Skirpenbeck, had the best of the day, at 88p/kilo, and there were some good bacon pigs from Maurice West at 83p.

I wanted to start the year with the market report because Malton needs and deserves farmer support.

I have no hesitation in repeating that the auction sale is the only link in the meat marketing chain which is striving to increase the returns to the farmer. Don't lose it.

Our market income is linked directly to the value and volume of stock we sell, being based on commission rate of 1-2 pc.

It will come as no surprise, therefore, that last year was not good for the books, but then agricultural incomes in general dropped by around 11pc in this country in the same period.

What annoys me, is that the latest report out of Europe shows that the other 14 member states all demonstrate income levels above 1999. The lowest increase is in Luxemburg at 0.4pc; but Denmark has seen a massive 24pc rise.

I listened to the first of a series of interesting debates on a Wednesday at 8pm on Radio 4, discussing our countryside; and last week the motion was debated that the profitable production of food should no longer be the mainstream activity of farming in the countryside.

There was a lot of interesting discussion, with the proposer of the motion being, unexpectedly, a representative of the Country Landowners Association, whilst I felt myself more closely allied to the arguments put forward by the Friends of the Earth. He declared that there should be no talk of abandoning profitable food production unless we were absolutely clear as to what could be put in its place.

The average age of our farmers is hovering around 60 and unless we find some financial carrot to attract the next generation to take up the plough, then our countryside will very rapidly revert to native bush, which is not a pretty sight.

I have long admired the Welsh for their passionate loyalty to their country and the memories of great rugby victories at Cardiff Arms Park; but recently their farmers have shown more backbone than most of us.

This last week, a farmer-owned co-operative called Cig Arfon, from Caernarfon, has been tackled head-on for processing a tiny bit of Irish beef through their plant. Although the Irish beef amounted to a mere 1.5pc of their throughput, the abattoir management have been told in no uncertain terms that it must not happen again.

More amusingly, the row with the Ministry of Defence over their foreign meat buying policy is still simmering.

The MOD requires access to large tracts of Welsh hill country for training our troops but the farmers have said: "Until you eat our meat you aren't going to come onto our land." So far, the MOD has agreed to buy 20pc of its requirements from UK supplies and so the Welsh have allowed them access to 20pc of the land.

The score so far: Welsh farmers 1 - MOD nil.

I do believe it is a good thing that we are to see an expansion in organic farming, but it must be built on a sure foundation. As of now, some £13m will become available for new organic farmers as part of a £140m seven-year programme to expand the sector. Official forecasts are that organic acreage in conversion will increase by at least 20pc, and I think this will be understated.

The organic vegetable scene seems to be sorting itself out, with a lot of enterprising marketing developments, especially in the south-west where they have evolved a box scheme. For example, Guy Watson, from Devon, now packs 4,000 boxes per week of mixed organic vegetables, in three sizes, costing from £7.50 to £11.50. These are all delivered direct to customers with every box containing potatoes, carrots and onions, together with changing seasonal veg.

My concern is with the livestock side, as 75pc of organically-farmed land will not be producing vegetables but will be sown down to grass, with the inevitable animal byproduct.

Philip Trevelyan and I are still exchanging views and correspondence, but we need to persuade the Soil Association, which is the regulatory organic authority, to modernise their marketing strategy. I believe there are going to be thousands of organic animals coming forward for which there will be no premium or even acknowledgement unless plans are made now.

I have no doubt, as Philip says, that "they are the most principled bunch" but principles must not be a straight jacket. I have obtained the Soil Association's standards for livestock markets, which were updated last July, and now extend to some 28 clauses, including:

- The livestock market cannot be used for selling slaughter stock, but only as a collection centre.

- The use of markets is prohibited for pregnant stock, stirks under six months and lambs under 12 weeks.

- Auction premises must be certified by a competent organic authority and an inspector present at the sale.

- All stock must be catalogued in advance.

- Any organic animal may only attend a maximum of two markets in its life.

- Details of the intended journey and destination must be recorded by the market.

As auctioneers, we are willing and ready to help, as we have shown by establishing the farmers markets, but the standards set by the Soil Association are unreal.

If any of our readers have some views on how to progress matters, please get in touch.

Updated: 09:43 Thursday, January 11, 2001