RBST Urges Secretary of State to Fight For British Sheep Farmers

Rare Breeds Survival Trust is backing the National Sheep Associations call for the Electronic Identification (EID) of sheep to be scrapped.

Like the National Sheep Association, RBST can see no value in the proposed EU regulations or that these measures will contribute significantly to disease control or animal welfare standards.

On the contrary, RBST believes that EID may endanger the future of the UK’s native sheep breeds. Evidence suggests that these onerous regulations will have the greatest impact on small flock owners who maintain most of the national populations of ‘at risk‘ breeds of sheep, a view that they put to Farm Minister, Jane Kennedy in 2008.

Speaking of his concerns, RBST Chairman Tim Brigstocke said “ RBST urges Secretary of State Hillary Benn to fight Britain’s corner and oppose the implementation of these EU proposals which are detrimental to the sheep industry in this country. Our farmers are already overburdened with bureaucracy. The additional costs of these measures for no discernable benefit will have a severe negative impact on the viability of keeping sheep and particularly native breeds of sheep.”