THE Royal Show opened on a Sunday for the first time yesterday, as agriculture set out to reconnect with the public with the message "let’s talk".
But the reconnection answer for Alun Michael, minister for rural affairs, was that the government’s attempts to ban hunting still top the agenda for the rural establishment in England.
Message one was given in the main ring as the minister waited
to hear Sir Don Curry carry out the official opening.
Staghounds, foxhounds and horn-blowing huntsmen galloped several times round the main ring to applause as the commentator told the crowd: "If politics permit, we will see you enjoying your sport for many generations to come."
Earlier, the minister had been threatened with a line of knickers, on which female members of the Countryside Alliance had written "pants to prejudice". Michael later faced a hostile reaction from sections of the audience of several hundred at the "your countryside, your questions" conference on the showground at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
One of a panel chaired by broadcaster Nick Cook, Michael kept his temper in spite of several bitter, if predictable, accusations that the government had not only singled out foxhunting for legislation because of class prejudice and bigotry, but had also botched it.
Michael, just as predictably, said that was nonsense. He said the government had been prepared to listen but defenders of foxhunting had not. The proposed legislation with a free vote for MPs goes to the Commons today.
Michael said: "We will have an intelligent debate and I hope the legislation will succeed."
He is likely to be disappointed as some sort of compromise is likely for England and Wales, which could be even more confusing than the situation in Scotland, where parliament voted to ban hunting with dogs only to find that it goes on in a slightly different form.
It was ironic in a way that the hunting debate hijacked the headlines on the day that the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) opened on a Sunday to encourage the punters, and farmers, to wear "I’m a farmer - let’s talk" badges .
A good try but not an immediate success. Most wearing the badges were keen to get into the spirit of the thing but were not necessarily farmers.
Mike Calvert, chief executive of the RASE, a no-nonsense Yorkshireman who used to manage the Co-op’s 90,000 acres and now has an even tougher job, was defensive but optimistic.
He said: "It’s early days. A disappointing start does not alter the principle that we are here to talk and explain what farming is all about."
He added: "Everyone we talked to in the industry during the past year said we had to use the show as a positive platform for the industry. There’s a better feel about farming; a little more focus and enthusiasm and we want to reflect that."
They also want to make visitors feel welcome. Sir Don, whose committee produced the sustainable food and farming report that has become the UK government’s blueprint for the future, said as he opened the show: "Reconnection is the theme and the challenge - farmers with consumers all of us with the countryside."
Some had connected early and too well. As the NFU Mutual insurance society reported that theft in the countryside was up 5.7 per cent last year, the Special Grouse-sponsored stand "agrics reunited" had two large-screen monitors worth £2,000 each stolen.
Last year, the Royal Show had 151,000 visitors. With the new format the organisers hope for at least the same again if yesterday’s glorious weather holds for the next three days. Admission on the first day was £14, family ticket £44 and free car parking - when you reach your car park.
