NFU members can read our response to a Defra consultation which paves the way for the introduction of a new sheep database and reporting system in England in spring 2014.
However, the most important for NFU members is the intention to prohibit the use of the non-electronic slaughter tag, which is the most widely-used tagging option for lambs.
We believe that this change would increase costs for the majority of farmers at a time when many businesses across the country are still struggling to rebuild balance sheets, following a devastating marketing season last year.
Read the NFU submission here (you’ll need to log in).