| IFA Animal Health project Team Chairman John Waters said following a number of meetings between IFA and senior Department of Agriculture officials the original proposal on the issuing of separate herd numbers has been considerably amended to lessen the burden on farmers. The amended letters and declaration forms significantly reduce the amount of farmers who will be issued with separate herd numbers for their distant land fragments. John Waters said on the amended proposal where a farmer is frequently checking his animals on the land fragment or frequently moving animals between fragments separate herd numbers will not be issued. These changes allow for normal farm activity to continue without increased cost and bureaucracy and remove the necessity for the vast majority of farmers to have separate herd numbers. He said it is important farmers understand the conditions and criteria before completing the declaration form. Mr. Waters said while IFA have secured significant relaxation to the original proposal this approach to the issue of distant land fragments remains bureaucratic, costly and unnecessary for those who will be affected and the issues that arise as a result will have to be addressed. |
Friday, 15 October 2010 10:32