I WRITE in response to Tim Pinney and his attempt to distract debate from the central issue of animal welfare.

I am only one person speaking on behalf of the vast majority of right-thinking people who believe that the status quo cannot continue.

Since animals cannot speak for themselves, who is to fight the cause? Or am I to assume that the farmers are quite content to continue with factory farming, battery hens, with all their terrible consequences for human well-being.

It is a fallacy to say that people want cheap food at all costs.

The cost is ill health brought on by eating products that have been soaked in pesticides and herbicides and meat and milk which is contaminated by growth hormones.

The farmers cannot blame everything on the Government. They were quite capable of lobbying for cheap fuel while in cahoots with the hauliers.

Why don't they use the same energy to fight for more smaller slaughterhouses and a ban on the export of live animals for food?

Where does the Countryside Alliance stand on all these issues? Or do they only confine themselves to the rights of the hunting and shooting fraternity?

HELEN SMART,

St John's, Worcester.