With a few exceptions, I dislike politicians. With most of them, there’s more spin than a grey Ferguson escaping with the last load of turf out of a rewetted bog. I don’t think they’re any different anywhere.

Definitely the previous two British governments have lowered their politics into the gutter.

Our own guys are masters of spin and deflection and can be very economical with the truth.

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The Brussels guys are not far behind. And there’s head-busting spin coming out of Russia (and Ukraine) but this is to be expected. Truth is the first casualty of war.

So, what has brought about this bout of political disillusionment with me today? I’ve just read the interview the editor of the Irish Farmers Journal had with the European Commissioner for Agriculture, who is from Poland. You may have read it but I’m spin-sick.

There’s spin about organics, less intensive agriculture, the Green Deal and all that rewetting nonsense that goes with the proposed nature restoration law. Though there was a definitive yes to European food security. I’m amazed.

You may not agree with my views on all this but since this is a no-spin, 100% traction column, I like to be clear in what I’m saying. The Commissioner was questioned directly about gene editing (GE) – which I believe essential for crop production with reduced pesticides – but I think he is saying “no” and maybe even “never”. But either way, whatever he’s saying can’t be interpreted as a definite yes.

Furthermore, and worryingly so, the Commissioner didn’t distinguish between GE and gene modification (GM) technology. They are different.

I think us farmers are having to give too much away and with nothing back in exchange.

Why should we accept the continual withdrawal of pesticides with nothing to replace them and be denied the exciting opportunities that gene editing provides?

England has recently enacted its Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, to adopt the technology. In a nutshell, it allows scientists to snip out plant DNA (but not to add DNA from another species, that’s GM) for faster, sustainable breeding that could occur naturally.

Why should we accept a push to organic farming just because the Greens think it a good idea?

Organic food is fine and good if that’s what you want but don’t expect to live any longer

I don’t agree with most of their policies. Organic food is fine and good if that’s what you want but don’t expect to live any longer.

However, I do respect your right to choose. But it will never, repeat never, feed a greatly increasing world. I believe a European-led move to organic agriculture to be fundamentally wrong.

Why should we accept a move to re-wetting our livelihoods to capture an extra few tonnes of carbon in Offaly or Longford or Meath?

Let the scientists come up with a smarter idea than that. It’s flawed thinking which may suit the school of Bord na Móna et al who haul wood chip from the other side of the world. Only a semi-state company would do things like this.

Do you know the real irony in this whole carbon capturing debate? Trees are a proven, 100% way to capture quantifiable carbon. Yet the Forest Service is being so badly run that not a single grant-aided acre of afforestation will be approved this year. The manner in which the spinning politicians have handled the ash dieback fiasco has further throttled confidence in the sector.

A sector which is being denied to farmers and landowners and being sold to foreign-owned investment houses. Why, in the light of this, should we rewet a single acre?

I’m so spin-sick, I’m almost thinking of running for election. But a fellow like me would never, repeat never, get elected. That’s the problem – or maybe that’s a good thing.