FINNIE GIVES STEVENSON COMMITMENT ON CATTLE PASSPORTS

Banff & Buchan SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson has been given a commitment by Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie that he will look at including more genetic information on cattle passports as a means of reducing the amount of red tape farmers will encounter under the national beef envelope scheme.

Presently, cattle passports issued by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) contain details of the animal’s parents, but beef envelope regulations require confirmation of the animal’s genetic origin from the previous generation. Local farmers have complained to Mr Stevenson that the cattle passports do not contain the information needed for the beef envelope and will result in more paperwork for farmers.

At a meeting with Ross Finnie in Edinburgh this week, the Minister gave an assurance to the SNP MSP that he would look into the situation with a view to getting this information included on the passport.

Welcoming this commitment, Mr Stevenson said:

“While we may disagree on the implementation of the national beef envelope, Ross Finnie took on board the point made to me on numerous occasions by local farmers that the cattle passports were inadequate for the amount of information required on genetics to comply with the beef envelope.

“I am pleased that the Minister saw the validity of the argument put to me by local farmers and I trust that his discussions with BCMS will result in at least one less piece of paperwork for farmers in my constituency.”