Anger over EU demand for 100% sheep tagging accuracy

Suggestions that the European Commission will be requesting 100 per cent accuracy in the electronic recording of sheep were met with anger and amazement last night by leaders in the Scottish and UK sheep industry.

NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller described the proposed total accuracy in recording as being "simply not deliverable on virtually every UK sheep farm and unrealistic for many sheep farmers in the rest of Europe".

Despite a long-term campaign against the European-imposed individual electronic recording of sheep, Scottish farmers have since the beginning of January this year, seen all sheep leaving their farms and heading to markets or abattoirs electronically recorded.

However, the technology carrying out the recording does not work to 100 per cent accuracy at these critical control points, with the electronic readers catching at best 93 or 94 per cent

Statistically this is sufficient for those monitoring issues such as disease control but not, it seems, for those counting sheep as part of the single farm payment scheme. Miller said: "Scottish sheep farmers will feel bitterly let down by the European Commission if it goes ahead with demanding 100 per cent accuracy on electronic ID for official inspection."

"This latest demand has undone all the positive work done on our database-led system and moved Scotland a step nearer to a Europe which demands full reconciliation on farm."

He predicted: "If that comes to pass, then the total sheep industry could be viewed as non-compliant."

He confirmed that he would be going to Brussels next week to hold the commission to its previous commitments.

Similar anger was expressed by the chairman of the National Sheep Association, Jonathan Barber, who called it a "as a nasty surprise." He said there was a general impression in the UK that all was well following visits to the UK from EU officials and the EU Commissioner where there had been support for a degree of tolerance in carrying out head counts.

Both organisations said they would be calling for political support to help address the position which they reckoned threatened the future of the industry.