The importation of meat into the Island has been a thorny subject for many years, and has generated many acres of newsprint & columns of Tynwald Proceedings.

Basically the agricultural community seeks to retain some element of control over importation to attempt to retain a viable local agricultural sector. There has been immense expenditure on the 'Meat Plant' which risks being a tremendous white elephant unless a large thru' put of local stock is retained.

Very recently the importation of Bread has been controversial again. The Supermarkets are said to bring in bread below cost price as a "loss-leader" to get people thru' their doors. The single local bread producer who uses locally produced grain regularly raises the problems which this causes for his business, an important employer in the north through its bakery, and elsewhere through shop outlets.