SIR – In the light of the beef adulteration scandal, Bryan Hanson (Letters, February 26) makes a good case for buying locally-produced and prepared meats. If only it were a level playing-field, that might just work, but let’s take the case of pork.

For more than ten years, UK pig producers have had to apply high standards of animal welfare, standards which became legally compulsory across the EU from January. The trouble is, 30 per cent of EU pork is still being produced in the old, now illegal ways, even in apparently ‘responsible’ countries like Germany.

And what is the EU doing about this flagrant disregard of its own laws ? Absolutely nothing. No fines have been imposed, no exports banned, no agriculture ministers flogged, tarred and feathered, nothing.

I seem to recall writing here last week that this EU thing only ever seems to work one way – any more proof needed ?

It’s no wonder hard-pressed customers are attracted to buy cheap imported meat when it’s being produced illegally, but with absolutely no sanctions against it.

Graham Hoyle, Kirkbourne Grove, Baildon