Assurance scheme farmers could cut welfare inspections

Under the present scheme, the Animal Health & Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) and local authorities carry out inspections to ensure farmers comply with the variety of welfare rules in place.

Farmers in assurance schemes also face inspections from their assurance scheme, potentially doubling the number of inspections a farmer has to deal with.

Under the new plans, those inspections would be taken into account when Government agencies decide which farms to inspect, meaning farmers in those schemes could have their animal welfare inspections halved.

The Government has identified 16 farm assurance schemes which would qualify under the scheme including the Red Tractor schemes, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), Soil Association Certification Limited (SACL) and the RSPCA’s Freedom Food.

The consultation also looks at other criteria which could be taken into account in deciding whether the Government carries out an inspection on the farm including membership of a herd health programme or whether the farm is a member of a retailer scheme.

The plans come after a report from Warwick University which looked at the feasability of combining assurance schemes into the risk criteria for Government-run welfare inspections as well ass the reccomendation of Richard MacDonald’s red tape review.

Mr Macdonald’s report introduced the concept of ‘earned recognition’ whereby farmers would earn Government’s trust, thus reducing the burden of red tape on their farm.

The consultation is a non-formal consultation and is open until July 27 and farmers are invited to submit their comments to Defra via email on animalwelfareconsultations@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Find out more on the consultation here http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/files/110615-animal-welfare-condoc.pdf

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