Concern for sheep ID and movement proposals
Deep concern has been expressed by NFU Cymru at proposed revisions to sheep ID and movement requirements recently put forward by the Welsh Assembly Government which may result in sheep farmers unwittingly infringing the law and possibly compromising their Single Farm Payment.
NFU Cymru met with the Welsh Assembly on Friday to discuss the proposals which the organisation believes need to be easy to understand, practical, workable and enforceable. Peredur Hughes, President of NFU Cymru, feels however that the current proposals do not fulfil any of these criteria as they lack clarity and are inconsistent when set against other requirements.
Mr Hughes said, "It is crucially important that we find a workable solution within the EU requirements as it is essential that we preserve the derogation from double tagging. I cannot believe that the Welsh Assembly Government has left it until now to consult the industry over such an important and complex issue given the extent of sheep movements, particularly tack sheep, that take place in Wales at this time of year and given the impending FVO inspection in mid-December by the EC to check that we're upholding EC regulations."
NFU Cymru has advocated that the Welsh Assembly examines, as a matter of extreme urgency, the system in Eire, to see whether the mapping exercise conducted in Wales can now bear fruit in terms of mitigating the bureaucracy that will otherwise ensue and surround sheep ID and movement.
In particular, the five mile concession tabled to try and alleviate the paper chase has been described by NFU Cymru as wholly inadequate and it is seeking an extension to 20 miles because a high proportion of farmers in Wales have land more than five miles from the main holding which would necessitate their obtaining a permanent or temporary CPH number in respect of the land.
Peredur Hughes concluded, "NFU Cymru will do all it can to ensure a practical solution and early definitive advise is given to sheep farmers across Wales by the Welsh Assembly, otherwise this has the potential to make unwitting criminals of us all."
