McGrigor and Scotland’s Sheep Association in Brussels today for Sheep EID talks

Jamie McGrigor, Highlands & Islands MSP and the Scottish Conservatives’ Environment Spokesperson, is today Thursday (12th January) with representatives from the National Sheep Association (Scotland) at talks with the European Commission in Brussels over continuing concerns about the impact of Electronic identification (EID) of sheep on Scotland’s sheep farmers.

In his party are the NSA Scotland Chairman, Jimmy Sinclair and the Regional Secretary and Development Officer, George Milne. Their meeting on the subject is with Mr João Pacheco, Deputy Director General of the European’s Commission Agriculture and Rural Development section.

Jamie McGrigor secured the meeting following a previous visit to Brussels where he highlighted the worries of sheep producers with Mr Pacheco.

Speaking today Jamie McGrigor says: ‘When I was in here in Brussels on European Committee business in late November, I flagged up the genuine worries of my sheep farming constituents about the impact of EID and I then followed this up with a  request to Mr Pacheco to meet with representatives of the NSA Scotland. I am pleased that he readily agreed to meet with us and I look forward to today’s meeting.

‘EID of sheep remains a major issue for sheep farmers in Scotland and I hope this will be an opportunity for Mr Pacheco and his officials to learn from the ‘coal face’ of sheep production the nature of the severe problems faced by the Scottish sheep industry in relation to the application of EID and additional bureaucracy and costs it has placed on our producers.’

Jimmy Sinclair says: ‘We welcome the opportunity to attend a meeting with Mr Pacheco. It is important that the Commission fully understand the problems that EID has caused the Scottish sheep industry and that a common sense approach is developed during 2012.’

George Milne is determined that: ‘We will make the most of this meeting to explain how our sheep industry works in Scotland with regard to movements, highlighting some of the specific areas that need to be addressed. It is time to have a serious and constructive review of the legislation.

‘Solutions to the recording and movement of sheep must be found in the early part of this year. The industry cannot find itself in the same position as last year when on farm inspections begin.

‘The reality is that in Scotland with the use of a database and the fact that all animals are EID we have excellent real time traceability of sheep as they are moved. This however is not a result of complying with the regulation No.21/2004. But instead is a result of Scotland going above and beyond the basic requirements.

‘The regulation as it stands delivers more identification and record keeping when the animals are still on their holding of birth, moving nowhere and are no disease threat. This is the message that we will be aiming to put over to the commission, it is absolutely ridicules that we have to work with these rules which are delivering the wrong outcome. Surely the common-sense approach is to have the best traceability when the sheep move. Let’s hope the commission understand the situation and have a full review of the regulation 21/2004. Scotland now has the evidence on the database to back up the need for change.

‘The message to those that say the regulation cannot be opened is clear. Where there is a will there is a way, just look at what happened to the National Scrapie Plan. It was never going to go away and yet it more or less stopped overnight. This was down to the evidence to back it up. Well, Scotland has the evidence on the database for changes to 21/2004 so let’s use it.’

Mr Milne is of course right. Regulations made by man can be unmade and amended by man. They have no independent life. It will be interesting to see how the delegation gets on in this meeting on this issue.