Plaid Cymru President says decision will save farmers millions of pounds

Jill Evans MEP today welcomed a decision meaning that the introduction of rules for electronically tagging older sheep has been delayed for three years. The requirement for individually recording movements of animals born before December 31, 2009, was due to come into force on January 1, 2012, just over three weeks from now. This would have cost millions of pounds to the sheep industry in Wales.

Ms Evans said,

“I have been campaigning on this issue for a number of years, and I am very pleased with this announcement. I had a useful meeting with the European Commissioner responsible for these rules last month and he informed me that he agreed with a postponement. Welsh farmers face unique problems in trying to adapt to the new legislation. I have been working closely with the farming unions in Wales for several years, and have been lobbying the commission on their behalf.

"I’m glad that the European committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) saw sense on the issue. The decision to postpone this rule for three years will mean that the vast majority of the sheep likely to have been affected will have been slaughtered anyway."

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