HC Deb 13 March 1998 vol 308 c849 9.34 am
Mr. Peter Luff (Mid-Worcestershire)

I am grateful to the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. Foster) for his understanding in allowing me to present this petition.

I have the honour to present a petition on behalf of 523 customers of Kite's Nest farm, Broadway, an outstanding organic beef producer. They are concerned that the provisions of the over-30-months scheme should not apply to that farm because of the extra costs that it imposes on taxpayers and the fact that it denies them access to the farm's excellent organic beefburgers. The petition declares: the customers of the farm support it for its longstanding "closed" herd status and strict adherence to organic farming principles and that we have total confidence in the meat from Kite's Nest because we know that all the cattle (including all the breeding cows) were born and raised on the farm. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons calls on the Minister of Agriculture to amend the Beef Assurance Scheme to grant an extension from the slaughter of cull cows to Kite's Nest Farm to allow all cattle from the farm to continue to be used for human consumption. And the petitioners remain etc.

To lie upon the Table.