Now the sales are over and the rams are all hard at work it is a good time to reflect on the first full year of the society. All in all it has been a very satisfactory season with the membership increased from 20 to 30 and the bank balance approaching £1000.

I had hoped to visit all the breeders during the year but like many good intentions it hasn't been possible. However, I have spoken to everyone and by and large they have all been very happy with the performance of the 'Easy Care' breed. I enclose a list of members with approximate number of ewes in their flocks. It is encouraging to note that there are nearly 3000 females spread out all over the British Isles, this puts us already numerically well ahead of several of the old established breeds. Since nearly all the breeders are trying desperately to increase their numbers two problems arise:-

1. The temptation to keep ewe lambs that would not normally be acceptable and therefore lowering the standards.
2. Not bothering to register ewe lambs since most people have no intention of selling them, therefore not contributing the £1 per head to the Society.

On the first count the golden rule is if they even look as if they need shearing or have any sign of horns then they are not 'easy care', on the second count I have no answer and would appreciate a solution. We are not asking you to keep a record of all the mothers, although for your own use this is advisable, but we want to keep the work down to the minimum in line with the 'Easy Care' philosophy. All the income of the Society will be ploughed back into promotion although it could be argued that it is a waste of money advertising a product that is in such short supply as is the case with the 'Easy Care'. Nevertheless I believe it is important to have continuity in the market and to keep things on the boil. Any suggestions for publicity would be welcomed and if you have any good photos or any news of the breed that maybe used for breed publicity purposes please send them on to me and we will try to get some press coverage.

The open day we had last May was a great success and as I mentioned in my last newsletter we plan to have a repeat in 2004 at John and Mark Parson's Farm on the Isle of White on Saturday May 9th - be sure to put it in your diary. I can assure you it will be a great day and an opportunity to see part of the country not usually visited. More details nearer the date.

As I write this in November my commercial Lambs and Beef have all been sold and during 55 years of farming I have never known such a difference in price in favour of lamb. This week I was getting £2.35 per kilo compared to £1.75 for my beef. At a recent Nuffield Farmers conference speaker after speaker told of the threats to the meat industry in the UK from overseas suppliers - the cost of producing a kilo of beef in South America is 40 Euro cents as opposed to 1 Euro 40 in the UK. Pork production in the UK is the most expensive in Europe if not the world. Broiler producers are facing increased competition from the Far East and only on the sheep meat scene is there a bright future but that has to be produced at as low a cost and has to be marketed as well as possible to keep ahead of foreign imports. All of which underlines our philosophy of 'Easy Care'.

A happy Christmas and lots of lambs in 2004!

Yours Sincerely

Iolo Owen

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