Sheep farming crisis looms

Jul 3 2008 by George Topp, Lanark & Carluke

NEW EU regulations could force some Clydesdale farmers to the wall, a leading politician has claimed.

Clydesdale MP David Mundell this week spoke out against the implementation of an EU regulation which will require electronic tagging of individual sheep movements.

He claims such a move could be “the straw that broke the camel’s back” for many local farmers.

His comments come after a delegation of sheep farmers, livestock auctioneers and meat processors met Secretary of State Hilary Benn on Monday.

Mr Mundell continued: “My meetings with local farmers have shown me that they are already overburdened with regulations and electronically recording the movements of each individual sheep is unnecessary.”