While there is plenty to complain about in recent Archers story lines (eg Adam’s New Year kiss and Rob’s paternity test) the programme still covers agricultural stories of relevance (Letters, 5 February). One of the most depressing experiences I had recently was to be shown round a robotic milking parlour on the dairy farm where we were staying in north Cornwall. The farmer had mortgaged himself to the hilt; the new system had cost him hundreds of thousands. The impact on milk yields: negligible. When a combine harvester now costs millions, why not employ hundreds of farm workers to hand-pluck the corn with a golden sickle? In the words of Eddie Grundy last week, discussing the robotic parlour, “there goes another skilled job”.
Jill Moss
Chester
