The FVO found that farmers in Spain and Portugal did not share these concerns, because they use ruminal boluses, which it said was “a more reliable form of permanent identification in sheep” than electronic ear tags.
“In addition, the provision of financial support to farmers to cover the increased costs associated with EID over conventional means of identification has encouraged the implementation of EID in Spain and Portugal,” it added.
Struggling to conform
The report has been welcomed by the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), which said that many farmers in Northern Ireland were doing their best to conform with the regulations, but had been confronted with practical barriers, such as tags falling out, resulting animal welfare issues, technology failures, and the fear of cross-compliance penalties.
“We hope this report will act as a catalyst for action, so that the European Commission will take notice of the very real issues our farmers are experiencing with the regulation, something which we have highlighted time and time again at meetings with the EU Commission in Brussels,” said UFU deputy president Barclay Bell.
“The UFU has always argued the need for the regulation to be amended, so that sheep should only require EID tagging when they leave the holding of birth, and a workable level of tolerance is also necessary. This would provide a practical solution, which could alleviate many of the problems currently being experienced by our members. We hope this latest FVO Report will assist the UFU in our lobbying efforts in Brussels on this important issue for sheep producers.”
CAP amendments
In the light of the difficulties faced by UK farmers, MEPs across the UK have recently tabled amendments to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), seeking the introduction of an element of tolerance in the EID rules, which currently state that farmers will be automatically penalised for not being 100% accurate.
The European Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) Report, published following a series of fact-finding missions to the UK, Ireland, Spain and Portugal last year, concluded that the issue of farmers being penalised under cross-compliance rules for inaccuracy is a “major concern” for UK and Irish farmers, who use electronic ear tags that can give faulty readings. It added there were additional concerns over sheep losing their identification ear tags.
