NFU Scotland calls for greater animal health controls

Animal health control in Scotland should be a matter for the Scottish Parliament, the National Farmers’ Union Scotland (NUFS) says.

The union’s comments came following an interview with the prime minister that suggested animal welfare would come under Holyrood’s jurisdiction in the future, rather than be dealt with at Westminster.

In a statement, the NFU stressed that Gordon Brown’s comments on BBC Scotland’s Politics Show had been misrepresented in the press.

NFUS president Jim McLaren said: “As it stands, we have a perverse situation where much of the policy is under the control of Holyrood but the spending decisions sit with Westminster.

“That is an unacceptable anomaly of the devolution settlement.”

He held up the management of bovine tuberculosis as an example of how collaboration between the NFU, Scottish government and the executive could work successfully.

Mr McLaren said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ plans for the management of bluetongue fell short of being acceptable.

An emergency meeting is being held for farmers across north east Scotland on February 25th, to discuss bluetongue and sheep EID.