Sir, – Some of the sayings attributed to the late 'Yogi' Berra (baseball legend on and off the field) may not have originated from him, such as: "In theory there is no difference between theory and practice ... in practice there is" and "The future ain't what it used to be."

However, "If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be" and "If you don't know where you're going, you might not get there" are genuine yogi-isms.

The pages of recent copies of The Scottish Farmer are a rich source of examples where all of the above could well apply.

Those publicly and privately funded bodies that overprotect certain species, give no scientifically rigorous predictions about what the populations of these creatures should be, how limited or otherwise increased numbers will have on other species, what, if anything, they are going to live on late in the winter, and last, but not least, if they expect (but not, of course, acknowledge) that the livestock industries absorb some of the impacts, but are not guaranteed full compensation.

Was it not true that the limited compensation for goose grazing ran out of money – but nobody at government or SNH was obliged to pay out of their own resources? Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander and if the public demands that farmers and landowners do their bidding on the land they manage, they should pay for what that costs.

Lest they try hide behind the notion that farmers are already in receipt of subsidy money, are in someway indebted because of it, our spokespeople should make it crystal clear that these subsidies are the cheapest way the public can get reliable and cheap food.

No advanced economy (including New Zealand) lets their farmers take all the risks of unregulated and speculative markets without some financial support.

It is just that some are less obvious in they way they do it and our establishment has put short term electoral advantage and cheap food before long term strategies that value both the countryside and those who live and work there.

Sandy Henderson

Faulds Farm,

Braco,

Dunblane.