SIR, Jeff Swift refers to the "puny efforts being taken to keep illegal meat out of the country" (Gazette, March 28, Over the gate our

priorities are all wrong').

I visited New York recently and on landing at Newark airport was taken through a customs hall where a beagle dog was eagerly examining luggage.

I asked if the dog was looking for weapons etc and was informed that it was, in fact, looking for meat and fruit. "The US does not want your hoof-and-mouth disease," I was politely told. Several posters in the customs hall backed up this message.

I was then asked if I had been on a farm in the last few weeks. I said that I had, and my luggage was passed through a special scanner, again looking for meat products.

This was in sharp contrast to my return to Manchester were there was absolutely no

evidence of any concern whatsoever. No posters, no checks, no questions. In short nothing! I'm not sure that it reaches the dizzy heights of "puny efforts"!

Peter Thornton

Longsleddale

April 10, 2003 15:00