Scottish animal health plan seen to impact farmers

The National Farmers Union of Scotland (NFUS) is asking policymakers to consider how the new animal health plan will impact Scottish farmers.

NFUS, in its response to a Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) consultation on the creation of an Independent Body for Animal Health in England, has urged policymakers to take the impact on Scottish livestock farmers into consideration.

The proposed framework for developing and implementing animal health policy within England raises important issues regarding the future health status of Scottish livestock and has cost implications for the devolved countries of the UK.

Although policy on animal health and welfare is a devolved matter, Scotland's share of the UK budget has remained stubbornly in DEFRA's coffers throughout the past decade.

The consultation also confirms DEFRA's ambition to charge livestock producers in England a disease levy with a view to pursuing cost sharing on animal health measures - a move that NFUS would be fundamentally opposed to if proposed for Scotland.

Commenting on NFUS's submission to the consultation, vice president Nigel Miller said the anomaly that sees policy devolved but budgets retained in DEFRA must be resolved before the current round of budget cuts bite any deeper.

Miller said NFUS is also against any move towards cost and responsibility sharing with regards to animal health and welfare in Scotland but will properly enter the debate once the European Commission publishes its own proposals on this subject.

He said it was concerning that the relationship between the proposed Independent Body for Animal Health in England and the three devolved administrations in UK is touched on in the discussions but no consideration has been given to a coordinated approach.

He added that a robust framework to ensure good communication and compatible policy development is required and should be defined at this early stage.