NFUS BACK IN BRUSSELS ON SHEEP IDENTIFICATION RULES

NFU Scotland has been back in Europe this week to fight damaging EU proposals on sheep electronic identification and movement recording which could decimate the Scottish sheep flock if they are implemented in their current form.

The Union attended a meeting between Copa-Cogeca – the umbrella organisation for farming unions and co-operatives – and Commission officials to discuss regulation 21/2004 due to come into force from the end of this year. In its current form, this regulation will make it obligatory for all Scottish sheep keepers to electronically tag their sheep and keep a record of each animal’s individual identity every time they move. That would bring an unacceptable level of cost and bureaucracy for no real benefit and the Union has pledged to fight these proposals tooth and nail.

The Union has also written the Commissioner in charge of proposals. The letter to Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, outlined the impact that the proposals would have in Scotland and the compromises required if the regulation is to have any chance of being adopted in Scotland. The letter was copied to key industry stakeholders and politicians.

NFU Scotland, along with NSA Scotland, are to hold meetings around the country in the coming weeks to discuss with sheep keepers the way forward.

NFU Scotland Vice-President Nigel Miller, who was in Brussels for the Copa meeting, said:

“Commission officials received a blunt message from Europe’s farmers and co-operatives that the damaging Regulation 21/2004 should not be foisted onto the sheep sector and that adoption of this regulation should be voluntary rather than obligatory for member states. Alongside Scotland and the rest of the UK, representatives from Poland, the Netherlands, Finland, Czech Republic and Germany all lined up to criticise proposals in the short time we spent with the Commission staff. We hope they relay the messages back to Commissioner Vassiliou.

“Following up our request for a face-to-face meeting, we have written to the Commissioner this week to highlight the significant changes and compromises that would need to be worked into the annexes of the Regulation if it is to have any chance of being adopted in Scotland. Amongst these, we have suggested that sheep should only require electronic tagging when they leave the holding of birth as a common sense approach that would help mitigate the majority of the cost and hassle associated with the proposals.

“A further proposal on the use of critical control points such as markets and abattoirs to electronically record movements is also up for consideration at the Standing Committee for Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) today (July 1) and we await the outcome of that debate with interest.

“We know we have the full backing of Scottish sheep farmers in pursuing this issue. Along with NSA Scotland, we plan to hold meetings around the country in the coming weeks to discuss the way forward and, if necessary, prepare the ground for public protest.”