ffermio - FUW welcomes MEP support for sheep sector

Date:May 30th, 2008

FUW welcomes MEP support for sheep sector

Advice categories: Business

FUW welcomes MEP support for sheep sector

The Farmers' Union of Wales has welcomed a vote by MEPs to adopt an action plan to help the EU sheep sector. The European Parliament's agriculture and rural development committee unanimously accepted a report on the future of the sheep/lamb and goat sector in Europe, commissioned by Irish MEP Liam Aylward.

The report includes 14 key recommendations to the European Commission and the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers that could change the face of the European sheep sector - including making electronic tagging voluntary rather than compulsory, and increasing financial support for the sheep sector.

FUW hill farming committee chairman Derek Morgan said today: "As one of the organisations that contributed towards this report the FUW is delighted that it has been accepted by the EU''s agricultural committee. The key recommendations are exactly what we asked to be included in the report when we fed into it back in January, and it is welcome news that the committee has effectively backed the our own list of priorities. The report will be considered by a meeting of the full European parliament next month, and we will be doing everything we can to ensure that it is adopted."

However, it remains to be seen how this issue will be dealt with by the European Commission, who effectively have the power to scupper any aspirations described in the report by refusing to accept them.

The recommendations include:

* A review of compulsory electronic identification for sheep due to the difficulty in implementation, high costs and unproven benefits. Each EU member state must be allowed the discretion to decide whether to introduce electronic tagging on a voluntary basis, if they so wish.

* Increasing financial support to the sheep sector, including allowing member states the right to introduce a new Environmental Sheep Maintenance Scheme which would allow sheep farmers to be paid on a per ewe basis.

* New labelling regulations on sheep-meat products to allow an EU-wide logo underwritten by a number of criteria, including farm assurance schemes and a country of origin indication, ensuring that consumers are fully aware of the origin of the product.

* Increasing the current annual EU Food Promotion Budget, which is valued at €45 million for 2008, ring-fencing funding for EU lamb.

* The European Commission publishing a price series on retail, wholesale, processor and producer prices for each Member State on the internet every three months, so as to ensure more price transparency within the European sheep sector.

* Including lamb in the ‘Community Action Programme for Public Health' in order to promote the health and protein benefits of lamb to consumers.

* Reviewing existing import quota management regimes so as to ensure that domestically produced lamb is not exposed to unfair competition.

* Allowing 14 days notice to be given to livestock farmers for on-farm cross-compliance inspections.

* The European Commission supporting innovation in the ‘‘small ruminant'' industry, concentrating on both technical innovation for farms and product innovation with regard to lamb, cheese and by-products such as wool and pelts, known as the fifth quarter, where the financial return is almost negligible at present.

* Establishing a new EU Implementation Task Force to oversee the practical reforms needed to make the European sheep sector viable, competitive and profitable.

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FUW welcomes MEP support for sheep sector

FUW welcomes MEP support for sheep sector

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