Securing a resilient, thriving and profitable future for the British sheep sector is the focus of a new report launched by the NFU today.
Supporting British sheep farming outlines how the sector, which has a globally renowned reputation for high-quality and high welfare produce, can work with government, industry and the wider supply chain to deliver growth, environmental benefits and food security for the nation.
It highlights the need for:
- Retention of all castration and tail docking methods on lambs from zero to seven days old as part of the government’s animal health and welfare strategy.
- Defra to explore opportunities to remove sheep from all requirements to remove Specified Risk Material, therefore meaning carcasses no longer need to be split.
- An ongoing government commitment to safeguard border controls and biosecurity against exotic diseases.
- Development of ELMs (Environmental Land Management schemes) and grants which recognise the importance of grassland and livestock for environmental targets and supports sheep production on all farm tenures and types.
- RPA (Rural Payments Agency), AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) and industry to monitor compliance with the newly rolled out Sheep Carcass Classification Scheme to ensure fairness for sheep producers.
Threats to businesses
NFU National Livestock Board Vice-chair Clare Wise, said: “British sheep farmers lead the world in production, high welfare and advanced genetics and the sector is the cornerstone of Britain’s cultural heritage and rural economy.
“From the uplands to the lowlands, sheep play a vital role in shaping the iconic landscapes, maintaining biodiversity and supporting rural communities.
“But we are facing unprecedented challenges, with producers under extreme cost pressures for feed, fuel and fertiliser, exacerbated by the war in the Middle East. This together with a decline in support payments and an unpredictable climate and extreme weather, has undermined confidence and threatened the viability of many sheep farming businesses, particularly those in the uplands.
Support and collaboration
“We all want to see a British sheep sector that is profitable, data-driven, progressive and globally competitive, while maintaining world-leading animal welfare and environmental standards.
“For that to happen, we need government, industry and the entire supply chain to back the policies we’ve outlined in our vision. This will give sheep farmers the confidence to invest in their businesses and maintain breeding capacity, drive growth and build a resilient, sustainable and thriving sheep sector, one that can meet increasing demand at home and abroad.”
