Disruption to Livestock coming north

I attended a Stakeholder Meeting this morning in Edinburgh on the subject of Bluetongue.

Please see pdf file attached detailing proposed method of allowing trade in English cattle to Scottish abattoirs as from 1st September when Northumberland and Cumbria become Protection Zone status, thereby extending PZ to cover all of England.

I think you will quickly take from the requirements that any movement that requires an auction mart is going to be well on impossible to achieve.

Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW)and Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland agree with my view.

SAMW are meeting tomorrow and they believe we need to find ways to increase the size of the operational window. Possible reduction to 30 minutes after sunrise and prior to sunset.

I wonder if it would be useful to seek markets in England to hold cattle overnight (they can do that for 24 hours after receipt) before departing for Scottish Abattoirs.

This will adversely affect members buying from Wigton, Penrith, Longton, Cockermouth, Hexham, Darlington and Wooler.

I would welcome any further information from members as to how this is detrimental to their supply chain and any suggestions that might be acceptable both to the trade and the Scottish Government.

Douglas Scott

Attachments:

• 20080826 Bluetongue Proposals.pdf