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Farmer loses ear-tag appeal

- 15 October 2001
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15 October 2001



Farmer loses ear-tag appeal

By Adrienne Francis

A FARMER has lost an appeal after being fined more than 8500 for fiddling regulations designed to control mad-cow disease.


Nigel Jackson, 54, of North Park Farm, Cowley, Cheltenham, was convicted for sending two bulls to slaughter with the wrong ear-tags and passports.


The labels described the bulls as younger than 30 months, the limit for beef to enter the human food chain under BSE regulations.


At an earlier hearing, Cheltenham magistrates fined Mr Jackson 5400. He was also ordered to pay 3170 costs after pleading guilty to four offences.


David Drinkwater prosecuting told the appeal court that Meat Hygiene Service inspectors became suspicious after the animals were slaughtered.


The prosecutor also claimed that Mr Jackson had told trading standards officers the animals had lost their ear-tags and he must have mixed them up.


“However, he must have realized they were the wrong animals because they were the wrong breed and a different colour,” the prosecutor added.


Maurice Cooper, defending, told the court that ear-tags did come off livestock, describing it as a very serious problem among cattle farmers.

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