Farmers being consulted on a controversial sheep-tagging ruling say alterations are necessary to stop people leaving the industry.
New EU regulations will force farmers to electronically tag every sheep in their flock from December, although there are fears the added cost of doing so will persuade many to call it a day.
A consultation being co-ordinated by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is due to run until June 23, but some believe their views are likely to fall on deaf ears.
Alan West, secretary of the Romney Sheep Breeders’ Society, is one of those planning to speak out about the plans.
He said: “I have no problem with electronic identification. The problem I have is that it’s going to be compulsory.
“It’s an additional cost the industry just does not need, especially when there are no obvious additional benefits.
“I’m sure Defra will listen to our comments but whether they do anything with them is another matter.
“The problem lies with the EU but Defra is not renowned for sticking its head above the parapet.
“If the regulations stay as there are, there will be some farmers who say enough is enough.
“What with the problems in the past with foot-and-mouth and bluetongue, this could end up being the final straw.”
EU officials say the electronic tagging system will make it easier to identify animals in the event of a disease outbreak, but farmers say the current system of tagging works perfectly well.
Most UK sheep farmers have been against the plans since they were first made public, and they have now received backing from organisations in Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden.
One part of the ruling Defra has successfully had scrapped is the requirement to tag sheep under the age of 12 months that are intended for slaughter, although this has yet to be made official.
Kevin Attwood, Kent chairman of the National Farmers’ Union, said farmers will still have to spend time and money tagging sheep despite the proposed amendment, with slaughterhouses and auction markets having to shell out for reading equipment.
He added: “Our argument really is what is being gained from all this?
“I think a lot of sheep producers are going to take a long hard look at what they are doing now.
“There have been slightly better sheep and lamb returns recently, but if these regulations had been introduced 12 months ago it would have been the death knell for some of them.”
A further criticism of the new tagging system is that some farmers may not be technology-literate enough to understand it, although Mr Attwood denied that was the case.
He said: “I think that’s just the stereotypical view of a farmer.
“Most of us are adaptable enough. That’s not the issue here. The issue is what the cost benefits of introducing this new system are.”
POSTED: 10/05/2009 14:00:00
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