At Newport magistrates court a cattle dealer who operates from Neath, Port Talbot as well as land in Monmouthshire pleaded guilty to 22 offences under the Cattle Identification (Wales) Regulations 2007 with the court being informed that there were approximately 2500 offences altogether and that the ones before them were specimens.

Offences related to moves on and off holdings under the dealers control in Neath Port Talbot and Monmouthshire and included cattle that had moved through the local livestock markets as well as various other premises across South Wales. Under the cattle identification regulations it is a requirement that all moves on and off livestock premises are notified to the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) within 3 days of any movement taking place.

It was shown that over the past four years the defendant had repeatedly failed to comply with this requirement with moves being anything up to 6 months late and in some instances not reported at all. In some instances livestock had subsequently moved off premises before the movement on had been reported. Had there been a disease outbreak this could have severely impacted on the speed that tracings could have been made leading to unnecessary delays and potentially further spread of disease. Magistrates fined the defendant a total of £7,370 and ordered him to pay £4,800 costs.

Speaking on behalf of Monmouthshire, County Councillor Phil Murphy said that such ignorance of disease control requirements was unacceptable in the County. "This should be a reminder to the farming community of the need to ensure compliance with disease control legislation, it highlight’s the importance of traceability of livestock and that the devastating effect that Foot and Mouth disease had on the country should not be forgotten", he said.

David Williams, chairman of the Badger Trust, said: ”Bovine tuberculosis is easily spread by crimes like this because cattle had been moved in and out of an area affected by the disease. Too many in the livestock industry are either involved or turn a blind eye, yet unreasonably blame only the badger while the livestock industry continues to clamour for Ministers to enforce culling. Until the livestock industry stops dealers and farmers breaking the law and puts its house in order it will never get clear of disease”.

Speaking on behalf of Monmouthshire, County Councillor Phil Murphy said that such ignorance of disease control requirements was unacceptable. "This should be a reminder to the farming community of the need to ensure compliance with disease control legislation. It highlights the importance of traceability with livestock", he said.

Under the cattle identification regulations it is a requirement that all moves on and off livestock premises are notified to the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) within three days of any movement taking place. The court heard that the defendant had failed repeatedly to comply with this requirement with moves being reported up to six months late and sometimes not at all. Magistrates fined the defendant a total of £7,370 and ordered him to pay £4,800 costs.

21st Oct 2011

Information from www.tradingstandardswales.org.uk/prosecutions/Monsaninalhealth.cfm