A FORUM to highlight the role of the heritage breeds in the management of hill and upland areas will be held at Camp Hill, Bedale, on September 18.

Conceived by Gerald Turton of Upsall, a leading breeder of Beef Shorthorns, the forum is part funded under the North Yorkshire County Council SRB agriculture programme.

Aimed at all upland beef producers and land managers, including butchers, processors and retailers as well as catering and tourism interests, the forum has the support of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and other UK breed societies.

Organisers hope the forum will develop a marketing plan based on the following facts:

* Upland areas of Britain need more cattle to ensure a balanced grazing system.

* Traditional UK beef upland breeds are best suited to achieve this in the North of England.

* Such a system can produce the best tasting, quality beef available.

* An integrated supply chain needs to be developed to ensure best returns.

* Produce from this system needs to be properly branded and marketed to a set of clear and marketable protocols.

The cost of places is £5 to farmers and £10 to others. Tickets and further information is available from the economic development centre, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AH, tel: 01609 532271.

Hard-won

concession on

20-day rule

A DAY of action against the 20-day farm livestock movement ban was lifted on Monday as limited changes were announced.

DEFRA announced last Friday that sheep and cattle for breeding this season, which go into strict on-farm isolation for 20 days on arrival, would not trigger a 20-day standstill on the rest of the farm.

The relaxation takes effect next month and follows intense representations and negotiations with leading organisations including the NFU, National Beef Association, National Sheep Association and Livestock Auctioneers Association.

However the 20-day standstill, which underpins the animal movement regime, will otherwise remain in place until permanent rules are brought into force early next year.

"Negotiations between Government and the industry on the structure of the permanent rules begin in September and farmers face a tough fight if they are to convince Defra that a practical alternative to the standstill system must be in place within four short months," said Robert Forster, NBA chief executive.

The association was pleased that farms able to meet the conditions would be able to buy both bulls and females for immediate mating from markets without interfering with the sale of other stock, but most holdings would miss out.

The good news was that Defra was committed by the Anderson Report to undertake a full cost effectiveness survey and veterinary risk assessment before it decided the shape of permanent movement rules.

The bad news was that its most senior scientific and veterinary advisors were implacably opposed to any relaxation to the 20-day standstill and would continue to recommend that only a limited range of strictly enforced concessions could be approved.

"Our hopes that a practical solution can be found are based on the willingness of farmers to accept alternative rules and the fact that to make sure a slightly more workable regime was introduced this autumn, Ministers made a pragmatic decision that went against the advice of their veterinary and scientific advocates," said Mr Forster.

Ben Gill, president of the NFU, said it was imperative that the Government carried out the risk assessment and cost benefit analysis necessary for further changes as quickly as possible.

"The current system is having a disastrous impact on livestock farmers, especially as the busy autumn season approaches.