Inspecting farms

Madam, - Your Editorial on farm inspections (March 21st) was harsh and farmers feel it lacked balance.

Madam, - Your Editorial on farm inspections (March 21st) was harsh and farmers feel it lacked balance.

The IFA accepts that farm inspections are part of the new arrangements introduced by the EU. However, the Department of Agriculture inspection regime, which incorporates a checklist with 1,450 different questions and permutations, and runs to 66 pages, goes way beyond a reasonable interpretation of the EU regulations. - Yours, etc,

PADRAIG WALSHE, President, Irish Farmers' Association, Bluebell, Dublin 12