DARD has relaxed its cross compliance rules on missing ear tags in cattle.
Previously DARD had introduced changes where at a cattle cross compliance inspection, if more ethan 10 per cent or 20 single tags were missing in a herd, an automatic negligent breach will be applied to the herdowner’s Single Farm Payment.
This week, DARD officials told the Agricultural and Rural Development Committee at Stormont, that following EU reviews, they have decided to relax the rules, moving to 15 per cent of missing tags. Any herdowners with less than 15 per cent of tags missing, will instead be send a warning letter.
DARD official, Pauline Rooney, made the announement to the Committee on Tuesday, and it was welcomed by members of the Committee. The new rules will be backdated to January 1 2014.
The UFU had complained about the original DARD proposals.
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