IT appears that this Government, not satisfied by crucifying the beef and livestock farmers in this country, is now hell- bent on destroying the British poultry industry.

They are blaming the UK poultry producers for other overseas countries' incompetent farming regarding what the media has called "the dangerous food poisoning bug, campylobacter".

If only this Government stopped importing cheap poultry and other meats into this country it would certainly sort the wheat from the chaff.

As a poultry producer for the past 40 years, may I enlighten this Government - and the media for that matter. All meat and poultry reared in the UK has to be of the very highest standard of hygiene and efficiency. What the Government has failed to see is the fact that they are still allowing far too many foreign imports of cheap poultry into this country.

We, the British farmers, are getting the "stick" for the likes of poultry reared in a lot of countries overseas where hygiene is of little importance.

Once again, the British farmer has to suffer. This "anti-farming" Government has allowed the market to be swamped with cheap foreign imports.

I sincerely trust the British housewife has the intelligence to support the farmers in this country and buy only "British-grown" meat and poultry (labelled with a red tractor logo).

I wonder, have these so-called experts who are responsible for this damaging hype, and who have concocted this information, done their research thoroughly? I think not.

The sooner all countries producing food for human consumption are on a level playing field regarding health and hygiene when producing and packaging meat and poultry the better.

MARGARET BEVAN,

Abergavenny.