SCOTTISH SHEEP INDUSTRY AND ELECTRONIC TAGGING

That this House notes the concerns raised by the National Farmers Union of Scotland (NFUS) over the European Commission's proposed introduction of an electronic identification system for sheep tagging (Council Regulation (EC) No. 21/2004 and No. 1560/2007); believes that this threatens to damage the livelihoods of sheep farmers across Scotland; recognises the NFUS's concerns that the new system would be particularly difficult to operate in a Scottish context where the sheep industry is highly structured and relies on the recording of batch movements; further notes that the UK has the largest sheep flock in the EU that is uniquely stratified resulting in significantly more sheep movements in Scotland than the rest of the EU; is concerned that the proposed electronic identification system would require the recording of individual animal identities at each movement creating extra costs, complexities and work for Scottish farmers; and urges the UK Government to press the European Commission to amend the proposed EU regulation.