This time the EU are attacking British Hard Cheeses which are wrapped in Muslin to make a descent rind.
It would appear that there are Cheese Mites that live in the muslin and if not controlled will ruin the flavour of the cheese.
The Cheese Industry uses Methyl Bromide to fumigate and kill off these mites. The EU are now trying to ban the use of Methyl Bromide which is the only method known to satisfactorily control these mite.
They are saying that because Cheddar and Cheshire cheeses are the only wrapped cheeses in Europe that we must cease the practice. If these mites are allowed to multiply the cheeses are affected flavour-wise and without the MB Cheddar and Cheshire cheeses as we know them will cease to exist.
There is one company who fumigates the entire Cheese industry and they use 1.5 tons per annum of MB yet the same company is employed in the Shipping Industry and uses MB for fumigating Seaborne containers and they use 500 tons PA yet this apparently is fine. The main reason for ceasing MB fumigation in the Cheese Industry is because MB adds to the greenhouse effect. Per working day the Shipping Industry uses in one day what the cheese industry uses in a year but that apparently has escaped their notice..
I say Bugger Brussels and it is about time this government of ours starts to defend our interests and not appease some bloody Bureaucrats in Brussels.
JB.
More threatening RED TAPE
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud
I totally agree JB but the hand wringers are all up each others ar*ses to continually promote positions of importance for each other so that they all have good jobs with index linked pensions. Otherwise the Guardians jobs section would have to have jobs in it for people who might just be "normal".
Whilst this sorry state of self promotion exists we will never get common sense written into new legislation or any sensitivites about local produce or producers. Hence the total mish mash of laws and regulations that come out of Europe and our illustrious emperors only to keen implimentation of them, after all he will be getting paid to speak to them all after expensive dinners in a month or two and so the happy merry go round of the whole sick sorry situation goes on.
Hark , bringeth the revolution.
Rant over.
Whilst this sorry state of self promotion exists we will never get common sense written into new legislation or any sensitivites about local produce or producers. Hence the total mish mash of laws and regulations that come out of Europe and our illustrious emperors only to keen implimentation of them, after all he will be getting paid to speak to them all after expensive dinners in a month or two and so the happy merry go round of the whole sick sorry situation goes on.
Hark , bringeth the revolution.
Rant over.
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carlseawolf
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the people in goverment are deffently on the gravy train they don't live in the real world if they screw up the worst they can get is put into health or education , and if really bad defra but they dont get what we the common people get the sack , unemployment and the other rubbish that goes with it.
maybe if there job was tied to performance we would see a better parliment and less rubbish coming from across the seas ( and a goverment with b##ls, not been sexist
)
maybe if there job was tied to performance we would see a better parliment and less rubbish coming from across the seas ( and a goverment with b##ls, not been sexist
)A seed planted today will make a meal tomorrow
www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf
www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf
i darnt comment further it would be tooo long
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carlseawolf
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crime don't pay
politics does
i call politicions ( polys) because they repeat what there masters say
politics does
i call politicions ( polys) because they repeat what there masters say
A seed planted today will make a meal tomorrow
www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf
www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf
It's a real shame, love walking with my grandchildren from their home up Cheddar Gorge to see the cheese being made. WEe enjoy being invited to test the taste too. This lovely old frim is threatened with closure if this rule is followed and a great prize winning cheese will be lost
I don't know whether it will work, putting a couple of internet links in this reply, but I will try!
Methyl bromide does appear to be an extremely efficient destroyer of the ozone layer and it was one of the substances which, it was agreed in the Montreal agreement, would be phased out in order to protect the ozone layer. The US was extremely reluctant to stop using it as it is cheap and effective, so it has taken quite a lot of time to get agreement to have its use cut out. This is an international issue, not an EU one.
I do feel that some hard choices, as they say, are going to have to be made if we would like our children and grandchildren to enjoy the same lovely planet that we have always enjoyed.
And while I also like Cheddar, I simply cannot believe that the traditional way of making this cheese has always included the use of methyl bromide!
I also feel that if it wasn't for the EU getting individual countries to work together and agree environmental improvements, we would still be emitting CFCs and have dirty beaches and untreated sewage; and unless the EU manages to get agreements on fishing continued we won't have any fish either.
I do agree that it can often be horribly bureaucratic and produces too many detailed regulations, but can we at least acknowledge that if it wasn't taking the lead in making countries bring in environmental protective measures, no-one would and the situation would be even worse than it is.
Bits and Bobs:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Methylbromideban.php
http://www.pan-europe.info/downloads/Ar ... 1-2006.pdf
Fruit-pesticide threat to the ozone layer
• 04 December 2004
• From New Scientist.
How could an argument over the price of strawberries threaten to undermine the world's most successful environmental treaty?
The Montreal protocol was set up in 1987 to eliminate chemicals that damage the ozone layer. It has been hugely successful in phasing out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), while the pesticide methyl bromide, the last major ozone-depleting chemical still in use, was due to be phased out by the end of 2004. But US strawberry and tomato farmers, who fumigate crops with methyl bromide, have stuck a spanner in the works.
At a meeting held by the UN Environment Programme in Prague on 26 November 2004, 11 countries led by the US - which is by far the largest user of methyl bromide - were granted exemption from the phase-out on the grounds that there are no viable alternatives. Opponents insist farmers simply don't want to pay for the greener alternatives.
In March the group of 11 successfully obtained exemptions for 12,150 tonnes of the chemical for 2005. Last week they managed to increase this by 2500 tonnes, and asked for further exemptions of 15,300 tonnes for 2006. If granted, that would return methyl bromide use back up to a quarter of the level used in 1991.
Although methyl bromide was historically used far less widely than CFCs, molecule for molecule it is far more potent at destroying ozone in the upper atmosphere.
From issue 2476 of New Scientist magazine, 04 December 2004, page 4
Alison.
Desperately worried about the future of this planet.
Methyl bromide does appear to be an extremely efficient destroyer of the ozone layer and it was one of the substances which, it was agreed in the Montreal agreement, would be phased out in order to protect the ozone layer. The US was extremely reluctant to stop using it as it is cheap and effective, so it has taken quite a lot of time to get agreement to have its use cut out. This is an international issue, not an EU one.
I do feel that some hard choices, as they say, are going to have to be made if we would like our children and grandchildren to enjoy the same lovely planet that we have always enjoyed.
And while I also like Cheddar, I simply cannot believe that the traditional way of making this cheese has always included the use of methyl bromide!
I also feel that if it wasn't for the EU getting individual countries to work together and agree environmental improvements, we would still be emitting CFCs and have dirty beaches and untreated sewage; and unless the EU manages to get agreements on fishing continued we won't have any fish either.
I do agree that it can often be horribly bureaucratic and produces too many detailed regulations, but can we at least acknowledge that if it wasn't taking the lead in making countries bring in environmental protective measures, no-one would and the situation would be even worse than it is.
Bits and Bobs:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Methylbromideban.php
http://www.pan-europe.info/downloads/Ar ... 1-2006.pdf
Fruit-pesticide threat to the ozone layer
• 04 December 2004
• From New Scientist.
How could an argument over the price of strawberries threaten to undermine the world's most successful environmental treaty?
The Montreal protocol was set up in 1987 to eliminate chemicals that damage the ozone layer. It has been hugely successful in phasing out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), while the pesticide methyl bromide, the last major ozone-depleting chemical still in use, was due to be phased out by the end of 2004. But US strawberry and tomato farmers, who fumigate crops with methyl bromide, have stuck a spanner in the works.
At a meeting held by the UN Environment Programme in Prague on 26 November 2004, 11 countries led by the US - which is by far the largest user of methyl bromide - were granted exemption from the phase-out on the grounds that there are no viable alternatives. Opponents insist farmers simply don't want to pay for the greener alternatives.
In March the group of 11 successfully obtained exemptions for 12,150 tonnes of the chemical for 2005. Last week they managed to increase this by 2500 tonnes, and asked for further exemptions of 15,300 tonnes for 2006. If granted, that would return methyl bromide use back up to a quarter of the level used in 1991.
Although methyl bromide was historically used far less widely than CFCs, molecule for molecule it is far more potent at destroying ozone in the upper atmosphere.
From issue 2476 of New Scientist magazine, 04 December 2004, page 4
Alison.
Desperately worried about the future of this planet.
I wonder how the producers of organic cheddar manage?
Maybe they don't do the muslin wrapping thing. Anyone know?
If they do use the muslin wrapping, then they must have an alternative (probably 'safer') method to control the cheese mites.
Mole
Maybe they don't do the muslin wrapping thing. Anyone know?
If they do use the muslin wrapping, then they must have an alternative (probably 'safer') method to control the cheese mites.
Mole
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Jenny Green
- KG Regular
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- Location: East Midlands
Thanks for such a balanced and informative post Alison. I should imagine that when cheese used to be made without pesticides it wasn't made on such an industrial scale as it is these days. Large scale production sometimes increases the risk of infection/infestation.
(Formerly known as 'Organic Freak')
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.
Hi Jenny,
Whereas I appreciate the posting from Alison the entire British Cheese industry uses only 1.5 tons of Methyl Bromide. I am aware that that it may well help to cause depletion of the Ozone Layer but it is not the very large cheese makers that are affected it is the small traditional ones who cannot really defend themselves and really need the support from our government. Alison talks of vast amounts of MB
and our own shipping industry uses 500 tons but because the Shipping Industry has the clout to fight any attempt to prevent them using it the politicians will allow them to go on using it.
Organic Cheddar is simply awful by comparison to a traditionally made Cheddar and really shouldn't be called Cheddar at all.
The EU spokeswoman was saying this morning on the Farming Report that there are alternatives to MB but the cheese makers maintain that they is nothing that does the job properly. She went on to say that because MB is toxic and they are dealing with a foodstuff this is one of the reasons to ban it.
So probably the smallest user of MB will be preventing from using whilst everybody else is allowed to carry on. So much for your Protocols Alison. Protocols to me are just so much hot air
and if one country decides, as the US, not to sign the Protocol the whole thing is a waste of time.
Meanwhile the Hard Cheese makers will be bullied by Alison's politicians into bankruptcy.
May I suggest Alison that when you are worrying about the planet that you, for a change, think British first and the Planet second. We already have enough politicians who put the British people second in their reckoning for fear of offending somebody and forget the purpose for which they were elected which is to defend our interests not penalise us to the advantage of other nations.
JB.
Whereas I appreciate the posting from Alison the entire British Cheese industry uses only 1.5 tons of Methyl Bromide. I am aware that that it may well help to cause depletion of the Ozone Layer but it is not the very large cheese makers that are affected it is the small traditional ones who cannot really defend themselves and really need the support from our government. Alison talks of vast amounts of MB
and our own shipping industry uses 500 tons but because the Shipping Industry has the clout to fight any attempt to prevent them using it the politicians will allow them to go on using it.
Organic Cheddar is simply awful by comparison to a traditionally made Cheddar and really shouldn't be called Cheddar at all.
The EU spokeswoman was saying this morning on the Farming Report that there are alternatives to MB but the cheese makers maintain that they is nothing that does the job properly. She went on to say that because MB is toxic and they are dealing with a foodstuff this is one of the reasons to ban it.
So probably the smallest user of MB will be preventing from using whilst everybody else is allowed to carry on. So much for your Protocols Alison. Protocols to me are just so much hot air
and if one country decides, as the US, not to sign the Protocol the whole thing is a waste of time.
Meanwhile the Hard Cheese makers will be bullied by Alison's politicians into bankruptcy.
May I suggest Alison that when you are worrying about the planet that you, for a change, think British first and the Planet second. We already have enough politicians who put the British people second in their reckoning for fear of offending somebody and forget the purpose for which they were elected which is to defend our interests not penalise us to the advantage of other nations.
JB.
It's obvious to me that it's standard policy to knock the Brits in every way that they can find.
They robbed us of our fishing industry. the reaction on BSE was totally different here and in EU. The continentals just treat us as mugs, we seem to be the only ones that actiually obey the silly laws.
Allan
They robbed us of our fishing industry. the reaction on BSE was totally different here and in EU. The continentals just treat us as mugs, we seem to be the only ones that actiually obey the silly laws.
Allan
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Cider Boys
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I support both JB and Allan,except it is not the continentals that treat us as mugs, it is our own elected government that treats us with such contempt.
Barney
Barney
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carlseawolf
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why are we treated so bad by a goverment WE ellected in the first place , simply as a nation we don't stick together the continentals if they have problems they tell there polititions that they will not be voted in next time and mean it, where the british will go to the pub have afew pints and moan .
the last great public outcry was petrol , i was on the picket line at plymouth trying to get the goverment to listern ,the reason that line broke was not due to police intervention or down to tony blair but an agreement between lorry drivers and the pickiters. It was a great oppertunity for the people to have there say , it started out great sunday night over four hundred people picketed the two oil depot but by early monday morning there was two people to each depot and playingfootball with the police. on the wednesday afternoon there was 63 people at the plymouth depot and as many police when tony blair made his speach saying the depots would be open in 24 hrs , there backup was 250 riot police the total reserves for the sw ( THIS IS WHERE WE DIFFER FROM THE CONTINENTALS THERE PICKET LINES WOULD BE THOUSANDS ) if we had that many that day the line would have stayed and petrol would have come down, as it was lorry divers had a fight with there bosses and went home and made an agreement with the pickiters if they where not there in the morning they would not bring the lorries out that day.
VIVA REVOLUTION
the last great public outcry was petrol , i was on the picket line at plymouth trying to get the goverment to listern ,the reason that line broke was not due to police intervention or down to tony blair but an agreement between lorry drivers and the pickiters. It was a great oppertunity for the people to have there say , it started out great sunday night over four hundred people picketed the two oil depot but by early monday morning there was two people to each depot and playingfootball with the police. on the wednesday afternoon there was 63 people at the plymouth depot and as many police when tony blair made his speach saying the depots would be open in 24 hrs , there backup was 250 riot police the total reserves for the sw ( THIS IS WHERE WE DIFFER FROM THE CONTINENTALS THERE PICKET LINES WOULD BE THOUSANDS ) if we had that many that day the line would have stayed and petrol would have come down, as it was lorry divers had a fight with there bosses and went home and made an agreement with the pickiters if they where not there in the morning they would not bring the lorries out that day.
VIVA REVOLUTION
A seed planted today will make a meal tomorrow
www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf
www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf
In the year 2005, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in
Australia, and said, "Once again, the earth has become wicked and
over-populated and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark
and save two of every living thing along with a few good humans." He gave
Noah the blueprints, saying, "You have six months to build the Ark before
I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights".
Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his
yard.... but no ark. "Noah", He roared, "I'm about to start the rain!
Where is the Ark?"
"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah. "But things have changed.
- I needed a building permit.
- I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler
system. - My neighbours claim that I've violated the neighbourhood zoning
laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations.
- We had to go to the Planning Tribunal for a decision.
- Then the electricity companies demanded a bond be posted for the future
costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the
passage for the Ark's move to the sea. - I argued that the sea would be
coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.
Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees
in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the
environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls. But no go!
When I started gathering the animals, I got sued by an animal rights
group.
They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. As
well, they argued the accommodation was too restrictive and it was cruel
and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space. Then the EPA
ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an
environmental impact study on your proposed flood.
I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission
on how many minorities I'm supposed to hire for my building crew. Also,
the trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only
Union workers with Ark building experience.
To make matters worse, the Tax Office seized all my assets, claiming I'm
trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.
So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least ten years for me to
finish this Ark."
Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow
stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked, "You mean,
You're not going to destroy the world?".
"No," said the Lord. "The government beat me to it
Australia, and said, "Once again, the earth has become wicked and
over-populated and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another Ark
and save two of every living thing along with a few good humans." He gave
Noah the blueprints, saying, "You have six months to build the Ark before
I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights".
Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his
yard.... but no ark. "Noah", He roared, "I'm about to start the rain!
Where is the Ark?"
"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah. "But things have changed.
- I needed a building permit.
- I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler
system. - My neighbours claim that I've violated the neighbourhood zoning
laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitations.
- We had to go to the Planning Tribunal for a decision.
- Then the electricity companies demanded a bond be posted for the future
costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions, to clear the
passage for the Ark's move to the sea. - I argued that the sea would be
coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.
Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees
in order to save the spotted owl. I tried to convince the
environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls. But no go!
When I started gathering the animals, I got sued by an animal rights
group.
They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. As
well, they argued the accommodation was too restrictive and it was cruel
and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space. Then the EPA
ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an
environmental impact study on your proposed flood.
I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission
on how many minorities I'm supposed to hire for my building crew. Also,
the trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only
Union workers with Ark building experience.
To make matters worse, the Tax Office seized all my assets, claiming I'm
trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.
So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least ten years for me to
finish this Ark."
Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow
stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked, "You mean,
You're not going to destroy the world?".
"No," said the Lord. "The government beat me to it