Another week into the full cost recovery debate and a glance on-line to the Meat Trades Journal (MTJ) reveals a united front in opposition to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) proposals. "The British Meat Processors(BMPA), the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), the National Farmers Union(NFU), NFU Scotland and the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers(SAMW) have all spoken out against the plans.........".

Very encouraging and an absolute must if the FSA is to be brought to heel. Very many futures rest on the outcome of these proposals, so lets hope a British bulldog, backs-to-the -wall spirit can emerge and indeed grow from our perilous position.

The question now, is, how to turn this unity into something more tangible, more organised, more coherent? The FSA has a policy of "divide and rule", one that has served it and its predecessors exceedly well over the years. This would be new ground for us to cover, no time for egos (that includes ALL of us), just a joined-up effort to get the job done. I hope that the above-mentioned organisations can bring this about, meet, and get a visible and united task force up and running. I offer my help as an individual, but what is more important is that all the aforementioned associations work as one team and not in isolation.

Toby Baker