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Progress hope after latest push on EID rejected
A UK push for another derogation to soften the impact of EU regulations for the electronic identification of animals (EID) failed last week. But there is still a chance of some progress
The new Farming Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, went to the Council of Agriculture Ministers on June 22 with a proposal that EID tags need not be fitted to sheep or goats until they were being moved from their birth farms.
David Airey, NFU chairman for West Yorkshire and a lead negotiator for the sheep farmers, said the idea was a good one, although not a solution to all the problems posed. But after a late-night session of the Council of Ministers considered it under Any Other Business, Mr Fitzpatrick reported:
"There was not enough support." He committed himself to the previous Defra line by saying: "I believe that the costs to the industry of implementing the EID regulations far outweigh the benefits."
And he added: "We are still working with the Commission on proposals which could reduce implementation costs for the UK sheep industry and will continue to work to put in place a practical and workable solution from December 31, 2009."
Peter Morris, chief executive of the National Sheep Association (NSA), said one good possibility still open was an agreement that sheep need not be recorded moving off the farm if they were to be recorded on arrival at markets and abattoirs. That could be organised without a formal vote.
But the NSA and most other farming bodies still feel they are being made to make the best of a bad job and continue to push for postponement.
Exmoor sheep farmer Richard Webber, founder of one of the big EID systems suppliers, Shearwell Data, has accused farmers and auctioneers of finding problems with the systems because they do not want them to succeed.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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