Bates calls for united stand against EID

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 21st Oct 2008

As stakeholders express their deep and growing concern over the introduction of electronic identification of sheep (EID), Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Rural Affairs, Mick Bates AM, has written to Welsh, UK and European politicians calling for a united stance against the introduction of this unwelcome and unnecessary burden on farmers.

Commenting Montgomeryshire AM Mick stated:

"Electronic identification is a completely ill-conceived concept that will devastate the agricultural industry in Wales. Farmers simply cannot afford to implement this scheme, as over the past few years production costs have risen while farm gate prices have remained stagnant and farm incomes have suffered as a result.

"Furthermore, trials have shown that the technology that will be used is faulty in wet and cold conditions and is completely unsuitable for use on farms in Wales. It is clear that this scheme will simply impose an additional burden and an extra cost on farmers, without any added benefit.

"The original belief in the need to individually identify sheep, hence the desire for an electronic system, was a direct result of a suspected link between Scrapie and BSE, where Scrapie masked the presence of BSE. However research has since shown that this is categorically not the case and thus this basis for the introduction of electronic identification cannot be rationalised.

"I have written to Defra, our Liberal Democrat MEP leader and our Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones to express my concerns over this scheme and to demand an explanation of the rationale behind the introduction of this unnecessary and unjustified burden on farmers. It is vital that the industry and Government stand united on this issue and press the European Commission to give individual countries the choice over whether they implement this scheme."

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