I was brought up in an Irish nationalist tradition but from the advent of the Provisional IRA

I was brought up in an Irish nationalist tradition but from the advent of the Provisional IRA offensive in 1971, I became increasingly aware that the position of constitutional nationalists, with regard to political violence, is riddled with unconscious hypocrisy. It is the responsibility of British farmers, who are getting plenty of compensation, and who pays for that? People like us.”So, Mr Major, even if you wear a tin hat, brandish a bayonet, or arrive in a tank, stay away from Breche and Pernay, and farming communities all over France Or you’re dead meat.*The crisis is the fault of the British. “In France, if one cow in a herd of 200 gets BSE, they are all destroyed That is why we have only had 19 cases since 1991. British farmers are greedy, giving their cattle infected feed; it is a scandal.”If the couple sold all their stock, it would be worth 15 per cent less than it was before the BSE scare “We should get compensation for our losses This crisis is not our fault. That is the only way to eradicate the disease.”His wife, Denise, agrees.

When he gets to an editorial, referring to Britain’s unacceptable behaviour in allowing the BSE crisis to escalate, he thumps on the kitchen table at his farm in Pernay, 7km south of Breche.”The British should slaughter the lot. “The export business has collapsed, abattoirs and renderers are not getting British beef to prepare for sale, and people like me are losing money fast …”Even as sales start to return to normal, prices remain deflated. There is a fear about eating beef and I am worried that if the export ban on Britain is lifted, fears will grow about contaminated meat being in circulation.”Reading aloud from the Terre de Touraine, a farming newspaper for the Loire region, is beef farmer Jacques Mechin. Owing to the remoteness of many French farms and the small number of cattle reared, producers tend to sell their cattle to middlemen, who deliver them to abattoirs.One such dealer, Christian Chauveau, explains the problems facing the industry. The last few customers before the shop shuts for the afternoon are buying chicken “It is not worth the risk,” says one. “Some farmers use British cows for breeding.”In another shop, at nearby Beaumont-la-Ronce, butcher Cedric Rouable is indignant. “We will not have British beef in here, we will not have any French beef that has been near British beef, which is why our sales were only affected for two weeks after the crisis, which is further proof that Britain is the brothel of Europe.

Belgian beef is even worse, of course.”As in Britain, the French beef crisis has affected all sectors of the industry. In France, consumers know what they are buying.”It is odd, then, given the farming methods and the mark of excellence, that even in a butcher’s in Chateau-la-Valliere, the nearest town to Breche, customers are reluctant to buy beef. The value of his bulls has fallen from F8,000 to F6,500His frustration is all the more severe owing to his methods of rearing cattle. It is what in Britain would be considered traditional, extensive farming, and an exception to the rule In France, it is the norm. Most of the 120,000 beef farmers belong to the Viande Bovine Francaise quality- assurance scheme, under which each animal has a certificate detailing its name, breed, date of birth and origins.”In effect, our animals each have an identity card and the scheme has helped us through this crisis. Electricity to keep them warm, and fuel the hairdryer and CD player will come to an average pounds 340.45.One of the frequent causes of rows between parents and children is the telephone bill. If parents are lucky, they manage to restrain their offspring from ringing their current inamorata until after 6pm.But an average estimate will still set you back pounds 132.60 with high users spending pounds 374.40.