Cattle Movement Service open to fraud

25 August 1998

Cattle Movement Service ‘open to fraud’

THE British Cattle Movement Service, which will give a passport to each of the 4 million calves born every year, will be open to fraud, hill farmers have warned.

The service is poised to go live on 28 September. Farmers are already obliged to tag calves in suckler herds within 30 days of birth. They then have a leeway of 15 days to apply for the passport.

But, according to some livestock producers, this short “window” to make an application – due to come down to just seven days next year – will lead some to cheat when forwarding information to the BCMS in Workington.

Farmers who breach regulations can find their cattles movement restricted, which can lead to fines of up to £500 if repeated breaches occur.

The Workington operation is costing £35m to set up. Farmers will pay a fee for the passports next year. The passports will record change of ownership, sales to abattoirs, deaths and visits to shows.

• SLF worried by EU cattle clampdown, FWi, 06 August, 1998
• September deadline for recording cattle movements, FWi, 11 May, 1998
  

• The Herald 25/08/98 page 23