Heavy-weight win for NFU Cymru livestock board

As part of NFU Cymru's livestock board's on-going commitment to improving the terms and conditions of trade for the red meat sector, NFU Cymru has scored a big win after DEFRA has agreed to stop the traditional practice of 'rounding down' when weighing carcasses.

Following continued lobbying by NFU Cymru, there has been agreement to give farmers an accurate weight for their lambs rather than rounding down to the nearest 0.5kg. In practice, if a lamb carcass weighed 18.4kg, only 18kg would have been be recorded – and paid on - meaning the farmer losing 0.4kg. In the past this would have meant around £1 per animal could be lost.

This victory means:

· Agreement the actual scale display should be recorded and not rounded down

· Producers should be informed of the plants' scale accuracy via operators 'terms and conditions of trade'

· Industry guidance and practice should be updated

Ed Rees, Chairman of NFU Cymru's livestock board said, "We have been working hard with leaders in the red meat industry to eradicate the rounding down of dead weight carcasses and increase transparency in the supply chain.

"This needed urgent action to stop farmers losing money. Any effect on prices must be balanced by the top of the supply chain.

"This victory is a good step in the right direction, however NFU Cymru's livestock board will be monitoring the situation to ensure current prices are at least maintained and the future of the industry is sustainable in the light of increased costs and low profitability in the sheep sector."