MEP SEES EID PROBLEMS FIRST HAND

Welsh MEP Jill Evans was provided with a demonstration of the controversial sheep and goats' electronic identification (EID) technology
on Friday, September 26 on Bryncelynog Farm, near Trawsfynydd.

Farmer and FUW member Dylan Huws is currently piloting EID on his large flock of Welsh Mountain sheep at their farm in the Prysor Valley.

The visit, arranged by Merionethshire County Executive Officer Huw Jones, gave Ms Evans the opportunity to see the technology at work at
first hand.

Earlier this month the Plaid MEP joined forces with MEPs from across the political spectrum to launch a written declaration in the European

Parliament in a bid to amend EC plans for compulsory electronic tagging of sheep.

If the declaration is signed by a majority of MEPs within three months, it will be recorded in the official minutes of the EU Parliament and
communicated to other relevant EU institutions.

Speaking at the farm, the FUW's livestock, wool, and marts committee chairman Aeron Prysor Jones said: "Ms Evans got to see first hand today the problems that can accompany this technology, as Dylan encountered serious problems in getting his electronic reader to pick up a single tag.

"This issue has prompted the union to launch an online petition on the Prime Minister's website. The petition can be found at: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/list/open?cat=692.

"Compulsory EID will do little other than increase the money and time spent on rearing sheep. The EC's obsession with introducing the
technology goes completely against their own commitment to reducing red tape.

"We therefore fully support the work of Jill Evans and other MEPs in their fight against this ridiculous imposition, and we would encourage all MEPs to sign up to the declaration"

Ms Evans said: "Seeing the technology at work has reinforced my views that this scheme is unworkable and unnecessary.

"As we saw today, the technology used for EID is temperamental to say the least, and can have major flaws. If such problems can occur with just
a handful of sheep, how on earth can the system work with a whole flock?

"Other trials have also shown difficulties operating the system in different weather conditions which would prove particularly more challenging for
farmers in Wales.

"Farmers and farming unions are telling me quite clearly that they are totally opposed to this plan for compulsory electronic tagging. For the 41
per cent of farms in Wales that are sheep producers, the scheme would be costly to implement and would simply be impractical.

"Across Wales and the UK there is both Government and cross-party support for abandoning these proposals, and by getting MEPs to sign up
we hope to send a clear message to the Commission."