RBST England RBST England Page update : 25.07.2024 For much of this year RBST has been working with Defra on a number of issues concerning native breeds. The general election provides a useful opportunity to take stock of progress. ELM payment rates -ELM will continue to provide payment to those keeping certain native breeds on certain habitats. In January, the Minister announced that the rates would be a grassland rate of £92 or £146 per ha, and a moorland rate of £7 or £11. In each case the lower amount applies if fewer than 50% of the animals kept are native, and the higher figure if it is more. Whilst there is a significant extension in the habitats the option will be available on, it is at much lower payment rates, currently £167 per ha. RBST maintains that the thinking behind the payments is confused, focused on a part of what the breeds do, rather than on what they are. RBST will continue to press the new government on this. Abattoirs - The state of the abattoir sector continues to be a major cause of concern. RBST knows that without a local abattoir capable of taking small numbers of non-standard animals, keeping native breeds will be challenging. Only 70 abattoirs now do private kill, and only 20 do Over Thirty Month (OTM) cattle, which is having a significant impact on slower-to-finish breeds. Small Abattoir Fund -The Small Abattoir Fund (SAF) providing capital grants for smaller abattoirs was launched last September. While initial take up was slow, it now appears to be picking up. In May the government announced it would be increasing the level of contribution to a project from 40% to 50% and increased the maximum grant amount from £60,000 to £75,000 Adding Value Grant -This is part of the Farm Investment Programme and can be used to fund the construction of new abattoirs. Official Vets/5% rule -At present abattoirs processing fewer than 1,000 Livestock Units are subject to a lower regulatory burden than those processing a greater number. However, the 5% rule, which the Abattoir Sector Group has been lobbying for, is a flexibility that exists in EU legislation and enables smaller abattoirs to slaughter up to 5% of the total national throughput without triggering full veterinarian presence and charges. However, there are a number of obstacles to implementing it in the UK. In particular, under EU law, only member states can implement it as of right. Third Countries, which include the UK, need to obtain specific permission from the Commission. Moreover, If the throughput of all small abattoirs were added together, it would be significantly more that 5% of the total UK throughput. Accordingly, there will need to be decisions on who can benefit. Native Breeds At Risk list consultation -Defra is currently consulting on a number of matters concerning the Native Breeds At Risk (NBAR) list. Thresholds -The first proposal is to change the population thresholds that determine which breeds are included in the NBAR list. RBST does not support the current approach to NBAR. Its main purpose is to determine entitlement to payments under agri-environment schemes such as the new option SP8 of ELM. SP8 only supports animals belonging to those breeds that graze certain specified habitats - grassland, lowland heath and moorland outside SSSIs. This immediately excludes the pig breeds, some of the most threatened cattle breeds such as the Vaynols and the Chillingham herds, and a number of sheep breeds. So, we are not talking about native breeds at risk in their entirety. Rather we are considering the conservation of members of a few breeds in specific locations. In any event, the proposed changes to the thresholds have little practical significance. Three cattle breeds, the Beef Shorthorn, the Luing and the Devon, would come off anyway as their numbers have increased. Only two sheep breeds, the Ryeland and the Dalesbred, are removed as a result of the new thresholds. Having said this, RBST does think that the current approach needs to change, but that is because the number of pedigree breeding females is an inadequate measure of the conservation status of a breed. Using this metric alone can provide a false picture of stability and viability for a breed. The measure ought to be the Effective Population Size (EPS) which takes account of inbreeding as well as numbers and so provides a better indicator. RBST uses EPS for the Watchlist and Defra already uses EPS for the Animal Genetic Resources Indicator, in its annual Biodiversity Indicators, which further reinforces the logic of using it. Original Populations -The government proposes merging “Original Populations” into the main breed. RBST is not opposed in principle, subject to there being strict legally enforceable obligations on the breed society to have both in situ and ex situ conservation measures for OPs within their breeding programmes. As matters stand, RBST is extremely concerned that the proposal drafted fails to recognise the importance of OP genetics to the livestock sector and, as such, puts at risk the continued existence of a vital resource. At present OPs are supported through government legislation and payments. Moving from this to a reliance on the goodwill of breed societies, many of which are not interested in OPs and frequently overtly hostile, seems absurd. Semi-feral populations -Defra proposes including semi-feral populations in NBAR but it does seem odd to be taking measures to conserve their genetics whilst intentionally withdrawing the measures to conserve OP genetics. Why are the genetics of a Dartmoor Hill pony, Cheviot goat or Carneddu pony more worthy of conservation than those of Traditional Hereford or OP Angus? Moreover, there is the issue of perverse incentives. If public payments are available for semi-feral populations, which cost less to keep, what will be the impact on, for example, Dartmoor ponies? For some semi-feral populations, having a clear understanding of numbers is challenging while the proposed thresholds are based on the number of pedigree registered breeding females, which is not applicable for semi feral populations. Note all of the above applied to England only. However RBST continues to lobby for similar policies across all the UK countries. 31.05.2023 We are working with other farming and environmental organisations to ensure that ELM fully incentivises the transition to the sort of sustainable farming systems in which native breeds thrive. Having secured a specific commitment from government to invest in the future of our native livestock, we are working directly with Defra and Natural England to make certain that the initiative is both ambitious and sufficiently well-funded. Through the Abattoir Sector Group, we are pressing for government to guarantee a future for the local abattoir network.