THE Ladies in Beef (LiB) initiative is gathering momentum.

Richard Lowe, ex-chief executive officer of the Meat and Livestock Commission, has taken on managing LiB.

Richard’s expertise will be invaluable to the success of the initiative. Our flagship event will be The Great British Beef Week, from April 18 until April 23 (St George’s Day).

As a levy payer myself, I have always believed retailers should pay for their own promotion – mention of Eblex and eyes light up at the thought of levy money funding, what is after all their promotion of our product.

In November I was invited to the Asda producer club meeting in York.

Anglo Beef Processors (ABP) organised the trip for me.

There were about 160 farmer producers at the meeting.

We had presentations from Irish Journal livestock editor Justin Macarthy and Asda’s chief red meat buyer Jim Viggars.

Richard Lowe joined me the next day for a meeting at Asda House.

A very positive meeting, giving us the clear message that Asda is keen to work with LiB.

Asda wants to sell more beef, of that there is no doubt. However, Uruguay is well and truly on the Asda and Tesco agendas.

Our only hope is the loyalty of the British consumer.

LiB has no political affiliation, therefore it is not tied by state aid regulation and is free to promote the pro-British message and to say things that industry, retailers and processors cannot say.

There is a great story to be told about British beef, not least about the care of our countryside, and relaying the question of who actually keeps the countryside looking as it does?

We all know that large areas of UK grassland landmass is maintained by grazing ruminants.

It would be totally correct to say that a significant downturn in numbers would result in environmental disaster.

The Eden Project in Cornwall uses volunteers to hand-pull grass in order to replicate grazing herds. It is impossible to create the vital grass swards required for the environment to flourish without the tearing action of ruminants grazing.

It is one thing making our consumers aware of this fact.

However, government and the media also need to recognise that our extreme and diverse countryside needs managing.

Perhaps a working party of, say, Paul McCartney, a few government ministers and anyone who writes about farming in the Daily Mail? We could add the badger trusts, Jonnie Krebbs (he would enjoy a close encounter with nature).

This working party could be tasked with hand-pulling grass on, let’s say, five hectares of uplands.

The best part would come when, just as they thought they had finished, it would be time to start again!

Hope you all have a great Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year.