Dairy cows on William Irvine’s farm. Picture: Cliff Donaldson
The Ulster Farmers’ Union has cautiously welcomed the announcement from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) confirming that cross-border movements of Bluetongue susceptible animals for breeding and production will recommence from 09:00 on Friday 6 March.
The UFU supports the introduction of reciprocal derogations between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland which will allow the resumption of trade in cattle and sheep across the border. This trade is vital for many livestock farmers and the restrictions in recent weeks have disrupted normal trading patterns across the island.
The derogation will permit free movement of susceptible animals from BTV affected EU Member States which have BTV-3 only. Additional requirements will be necessary for any imports from EU Member States which have additional strains of BTV circulating. This information will be available directly from DAERA.
The derogation does not apply to movements of live animals from Great Britain (GB) to NI. As a result of the confirmed cases of BTV-3 in England and Wales, moves of all live ruminants from GB to NI are still suspended.
The UFU also welcomes confirmation that the Temporary Control Zone in County Down will be lifted from the same time. This means animals will once again be able to move freely within Northern Ireland under a general licence.
While this is a positive development for the sector, Bluetongue remains a notifiable disease, and farmers should remain vigilant. The UFU encourages members to work closely with their private veterinary practitioner and to continue sourcing animals responsibly. The UFU urges members to avoid importing susceptible animals from mainland Europe; there is a serious risk to NI food security if diseases are brought into the country and members need to continue to remain vigilant to all potential risks.
The UFU will continue to engage with DAERA to ensure farmers are kept informed and that disease management measures remain practical while protecting the health of the Northern Ireland livestock sector.
