SENEDD Members denounced the Welsh Government’s response to bluetongue, with limits on moving livestock, warning the approach will cause total chaos and havoc for farmers.

Samuel Kurtz, who is from a farming family, expressed deep concern about the Welsh Government’s handling of the disease, saying it “falls far short of what farmers deserve”.

The Conservatives’ economy secretary said Senedd Members received no briefing from the Deputy First Minister nor the chief veterinary office on the science behind the decision.

Mr Kurtz warned: “There has been no economic impact assessment despite the far-reaching consequences for our rural community.

“And perhaps most troubling of all, the decision was issued via a written statement on a Thursday afternoon – just after the Senedd week had ended, ensuring no scrutiny, no questions and no answers until today.”

He told the Senedd: “We all understand the importance of protecting Welsh livestock from bluetongue but the measures imposed are not only excessive, they’re unworkable.”

“Requiring pre-movement testing for all live imports, even vaccinated animals, might look reasonable on paper but – in the real world of Welsh farming – it’s chaos.

“I’ve spoken with a farmer in mid Wales now facing a bill of at least £18,000 just to bring their own sheep back from England – a field that is only five miles down the road. That cost covers testing, transport delays, logistical headaches, and that is not an isolated incident.”

Mr Kurtz said already under-strain livestock markets now face collapsing confidence, with movement restrictions “sowing uncertainty” at the height of the trading season. “This isn’t protecting the industry; it’s paralysing it,” he warned.

He put the cost of vaccinating all livestock in Wales at £32m – £6 a cow and £3 for every sheep or goat – placing a “staggering financial” burden on a struggling industry.

During a statement on the Welsh Government’s approach to bluetongue on June 17, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said policy will be kept under regular review.

“If the evidence changes on the ground, we can revisit this,” he said, claiming it was not feasible to conduct an economic impact assessment.

Mr Irranca-Davies, who is responsible for rural affairs, told Senedd Members it was a finely balanced decision taken because “we think there is a fighting chance here to hold this back”.

The former MP and Defra minister clarified that testing requirements will not apply for movements to and from land within a farm’s combined holding.

He said the Welsh Government has successfully kept bluetongue out of Wales this year but an all-England restriction zone obliged Welsh ministers to review their own approach.

“I cannot and will not in good conscience simply invite bluetongue into Wales,” he stressed.

But Llŷr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru’s shadow rural affairs secretary, said: “You’ve explained to us that part of this rationale is to buy time but I have to say: where have you been? We’ve known for months and months, if not years, that bluetongue is on its way.”

Mr Gruffydd added: “I really fear that your decision and your policy decision this week will bring even more worry, even more disruption and even more concern in its wake.”

He advocated instead “getting ready for the inevitable” vaccination and managing of bluetongue rather than “ploughing” scant resources into costly testing and licensing.

The politician warned: “It’s going to disrupt the functionality of the whole agricultural ecosystem and that in itself could be more damaging than dealing with bluetongue.”

Calling for clarity on plans, he asked: “Will you incrementally be moving the restriction zone further into Wales or, if it does happen, will you then immediately move to an all-Wales restricted zone, which, frankly, is what I think you should’ve done in the first place?”

Mr Irranca-Davies reiterated the policy will be under live review before hitting back: “Where have we been?’ We’ve been keeping the disease out of Wales.”

He said: “It is not inevitable, as you and Sam seem to be saying, that the disease will walk in the door. What we are trying to do is keep that door as firmly shut as we can…. but it is a heightened possibility as soon as the border is snapped out to the England-Wales border.”

Labour’s Lesley Griffiths, a former rural affairs minister who represents the border constituency of Wrexham, echoed concerns centred on testing and lab capacity.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said: “For farms on the border, many of which I represent, and I know others here do, there is severe concern, severe stress on farmers.

“The mental health weight on them is already considerable, and this is another thing on top.”

FARMING CONNET is offering a fully funded, Lantra-accredited animal health and welfare training workshop – ‘Managing Breeding Bulls’. It will be delivered by approved local vet practices across Wales and is designed to support farmers to enhance their herd’s performance and ensure the well-being of their bulls on farm.

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of choosing the right bull for your herd’s performance and productivity. The workshop will also provide insight into the key factors to consider when assessing a bull’s suitability for breeding, including Body Condition Scoring.

It will give an opportunity to learn about the various reasons for bull infertility and discover effective strategies for its prevention and control. The vital role of pre-breeding fertility testing in ensuring a successful breeding season will also be explored.

The workshop will help you become aware of the essential routine treatments and nutritional considerations for preparing bulls before breeding as well as learning to identify and manage the biosecurity risks associated with introducing new bulls from other herds.

Finally, the workshop will look into some of the traits that can be assessed via Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) and how to use them to aid in making the best bull selection for your herd.

This workshop is designed to equip you with practical knowledge to enhance your herd’s health and productivity.

‘The bull plays a pivotal role in the fertility of herds and getting it right/wrong has a significant impact on the productivity of the upcoming year. Making sure bulls are fit for purpose is one of the first steps to ensure a successful breeding and calving season.’ Shares Clara Valderamma, Farm First Vets who is one of the approved vets delivering the new training workshop.

Workshop attendance will be logged on the attendee’s ‘Storfa Sgiliau’ CPD record along with a Lantra Awards ‘certificate of attendance’.

The training workshops are fully funded but to qualify for that funding, all attendees must be registered with Farming Connect and complete a Personal Development Plan (PDP).

For dates and details of upcoming workshops visit the Farming Connect website https://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/ or contact your local development officer to find out more.

SEVERAL organisations, including the Farmers’ Union of Wales have written to the Welsh Government raising the critical issue of Wales’ diminishing local abattoir infrastructure.

The letter, addressed to Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, has been co-signed by 8 organisations, including Nature Friendly Farming Network, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Pasture for Life, Plantlife Cymru, Rare Breeds Survival Trust, RSPB Cymru, the Sustainable Food Trust and the Farmers’ Union of Wales. In 1990 there were 58 red meat abattoirs in Wales, whereas today there are just fifteen, with nine being small-medium, and five of these being classed as small. Even fewer are able to provide all of the services farmers need to sell directly to local consumers, such as butchering, packaging, processing small numbers of animals, multi-species animals, having organic certification, and the ability to deal with horned animals, or those ‘over thirty months’ (OTM).

This issue puts Welsh farmers’ ability to sell and distinguish their products from imports produced to lower environmental and animal welfare standards at risk.

All co-signatures of the letter highlighted the role of grazing livestock for the management and enhancement of priority habitats across Wales, from peatlands to salt marshes, species-rich grasslands to heathlands, ffriddoedd and ‘Celtic Woodlands’. Complementing this grazing with being able to sell directly to the consumer, supports the economic sustainability of farming businesses through ‘added value’ sales, particularly when the hardier breeds of livestock that are typically used will often have less of a commercial value.

Commenting, Farmers’ Union of Wales President, Ian Rickman said: “The FUW has been clear that if the Welsh Government wants to promote a ‘circular economy’ and ensure Welsh produce produced to high environmental standards can be marketed as such, then the abattoir infrastructure is an essential enabler. The fact that Australian and New Zealand lamb imports have increased by 78%, at the same time that farmers in Wales are struggling to sell their produce locally, makes no sense. Such a situation undermines the efforts farmers are making to enhance biodiversity, nutritional value, and low carbon produce sold to Welsh consumers, as well as the integrity of Welsh Lamb and Beef’s ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ status.

The FUW’s Livestock and Hill Farming Committee wish to see the Government providing additional support to abattoirs in light of increased and burdensome regulation, running costs and veterinary capacity issues. The letter also urges the Government to ensure the Food Standards Agency small abattoir discount is maintained, that they recognise the abattoir network as ‘critical infrastructure for Wales’, and work with industry to explore solutions such as capital grant schemes.”

Other issues facing abattoirs include ‘animal by-products’ (such as skins, hides or offal) which used to represent an income stream for abattoirs and contributed towards a circular economy, which are now an added cost due to disposal charges.

Teleri Fielden, Farmers’ Union of Wales Policy Officer added: “Farmers in Wales are rightfully proud of our high animal welfare standards and the quality of life afforded to many grazing livestock. Whilst out of the farmers’ control, short journeys to slaughter is part of this, as is access to casualty and emergency slaughter services. However, there is only one slaughterhouse in Wales which has the ‘contract’ to receive BovineTB reactors, creating lengthy journeys and additional stress to both the animal and the farmer experiencing a bTB breakdown.

As the letter outlines, the startling loss of small and local abattoirs in Wales, which is replicated across the rest of the UK, poses a threat to sustainable farming, biodiversity restoration, Welsh produce, animal welfare and our circular economy. The FUW looks forward to finding solutions to this issue by working with the Welsh Government and the wider industry.”