This Week's B&R

Lots about Hay and the surrounding area this week.
Front page news is the Co-op giving Dial-a-Ride some money, and underneath that is the news that bus fares are going to go up by 5% next month.

Sir Bernard Ashley, widower of Laura Ashley, has just died aged 82. He went on to creat Elanbach, a local fabric company, and he'd only just signed a deal for a new factory at Builth Wells.

Fairtrade Hay get a couple of mentions for the events of Fairtrade Fortnight, starting with a Coffee Tasting at the Bear on 26th February (and I have yet to buy everything for the hamper that's going to be raffled in the Wholefood Shop's window - must get a move on there!).

Something I'd missed in a previous week's paper - GM crops appear to have been grown and harvested somewhere close to Hay. There are several letters on the subject this week - here's a run down of the situation from Rod Walters of Abergavenny:
"According to media reports....three local farmers have secretly planted GM maize in the Hay-on-Wye area.
Their irresponsible actions not only threaten the environment but could also damage the image of the farming industry in Wales." He goes on to point out that the Welsh Assembly have adopted a precautionary approach to GM crops, and are trying to make Wales GM-free.
And here's a quotation from a local small farmer:
"As a result of my reading, I believe that we need local and guarenteed control over our seed supplies and I believe that buying into the dream of an American based conglomeration with an appalling track record and giving them control of global seed supplies (which is what is their ultimate business goal), is quite simply, idiotic."
No letters are in favour, apart from a tongue in cheek reference to reducing the fertility of American ladies who have octuplets. Maybe supporters of GM will write in next week?

And finally, and on a related subject, there will be a Seed Swap at the Globe this Saturday, with heritage seeds available, and a talk by the manager of the Heritage Seed Library. I'd like to go to that one, but I'll be hitting people with swords at the time instead - our re-enactment group are coming down for a spot of weapons practice before the season starts.