THE nightmare of farmers having to record the individual number of each sheep looks to have been avoided.
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) believes its intensive lobbying campaign in Brussels and Whitehall has paid off.
The requirement for individual ID for sheep looked inevitable after EU officials in Brussels said they would not grant the UK an extension to its exemption from double tagging. But officials in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have now said they intend to introduce a simpler ID system from the start of next year.
Malcolm Corbett, North-East regional NFU livestock chairman, said the NFU had repeatedly told the Commission that individual ID would cripple the British sheep sector.
He said: "As a hill sheep producer, I recognise that some farmers will be disappointed that we will have to double tag breeding sheep.
"However, we won't have to record individual numbers and it also looks likely that lambs entering the food chain at under 12 months of age will be able to move on a single tag."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article