Scots ready for EID protest

Scottish farmers are in the mood for direct action over the electronic identification of sheep and believe they have the backing of colleagues in England and Wales.

NFU Scotland president Jim McLaren used his opening address at the union’s annual meeting to announce that frustration over the burden of EU-derived legislation had come to a head. 

And the issue of sheep EID was the tipping point, Mr McLaren said.

“We have to pick our fights carefully but tempers are running high and there is an appetite out there for direct action, so this is the one,” Mr McLaren said.

“We recognise that it could get dirty and farmers could have their single farm payments threatened but we know that unions in England and Wales are right behind us.”

The president declined to elaborate on the nature of potential demonstrations, but hinted that live sheep would be involved, with animal welfare and public safety safeguards in place.

Mr McLaren explained that the issue had gone beyond the unworkability or affordability of implementing EID.

It now focused on the fact that EU officials had insisted EID would be the only possible way sheep farmers could deliver on Europe’s insistence on individual recognition of sheep and goats following the outbreaks of foot and mouth disease.

“Times have changed since the 2001 FMD outbreak, and in 2007 we were able to prove that the batching system for sheep worked,” he said.

“The mood is changing across European countries and people are waking up to the implications of EID.”

Would you join a protest against EID? Have your say on FWiSpace.