THE Royal Bath & West Show may take place in Somerset, but there are plenty of exhibitors from south Wiltshire, Dorset and Hampshire who take part in the annual agricultural extravaganza at Shepton Mallet.

As usual, the four-day event provided an excellent day out, away from the gloom and doom of almost all the news at the moment.

Most farmers were cautiously optimistic about the new government and the future of their industry. However, there were several cautionary notes.

This page recently reported on the upturn of wool prices. Speaking to sheep farmers at the show revealed a different story.

Yes, the prices are up, but only from an all-time low. Farmers are even now only getting less than half the cost of shearing for wool.

On a brighter note, it was wonderful to see so many young people involved with the animals, both with their grooming and exhibiting. It was so evidently not “for show” – they were confident around them, visibly enjoyed taking part and both youngsters and animals were plainly at ease with each other.

There is some way to go, however, in educating the non-farming public.

One farmer was demonstrating milking and talking about how milk was only four to five per cent fat and how it is perfectly safe, given proper hygiene standards, to drink it “straight from the cow.”

He held up a cup of milk and one mother obviously thought he was about to hand it around the crowd for consumption. She pounced on her young son and told him that on no account was he to try it. The farmer looked healthy enough.

One sour note was that food prices were unjustifiably high. A bacon buttie cost £3.80, with no butter. In fact there was a dearth of butter all round, which was a bit surprising, given that this is one of England’s largest dairy farming areas.

Congratulations must go to the organisers. The Royal Bath & West is one of the best agricultural shows in the country, retaining a genuinely rural feel while providing up-to-date innovative features in every area from agricultural issues to business, from commercial stalls to education.

Well done.