As the National Farmers Union's county chairman for Cheshire, I am determined to raise awareness of the frustration being felt by our farmers and the public of the county at the French government's decision to continue with its illegal ban on British beef.

British farmers have implemented every regulation demanded of them and the European Commission has inspected and approved all the measures put in place in Britain and agreed that exports should restart from August 1 1999.

I therefore urge your readers to write to their local MEPs to call for the lifting of the ban, and in the meantime back British farmers by buying British.

This unjust ban of British beef is a farce, but no laughing matter for the county's hard-pressed farmers.

K

KEN OLIVER

Cheshire chairman, NFU

National Farmers Union

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