New way of tackling animal health

A RADICAL new method of dealing with animal health and welfare issues in England was unveiled yesterday by UK agriculture minister Jim Paice, and with its emphasis on involving those within the industry, it was given a welcome by a number of lobby organisations.

The new animal health and welfare board for England, which will operate within the existing Defra structure, will bring together experts including farmers, veterinarians, welfare experts and others from outside government together with the chief veterinary officer and civil servants.

The new board will make direct policy recommendations on policy affecting the health and welfare of all kept animals such as farm animals, horses and pets but crucially it will also look at possible charging policies for animal disease outbreaks.

In making the announcement, Paice underlined the difference between the previous method of setting policy and the proposed new decision making body.

"This is a completely new way of working," he said. "It replaces the old ways, where the people most affected by decisions were kept at arm's length from policy making on those subjects.

"We've already seen the success of a partnership between farmers and the government with the work that's been done on bluetongue - which has seen the disease virtually eradicated in this country."

However, he added that final decisions on animal health and welfare policy would remain in the hands of ministers.

Giving the new board a cautious welcome, National Sheep Association chief executive Peter Morris said: "These are clearly very substantial announcements that should change forever the way in which government and those with an interest in the health and welfare of animals work together."

Referring to previous proposals which suggested farmers should share the costs and responsibilities of animal disease outbreaks, Morris said the NSA would be doing all it could to ensure that the sheep industry did not carry any costs that were not directly applicable to it.

Looking to the devolved nations, Morris said: "Other parts of the UK should be closely looking at what has been announced as over time responsibility and cost sharing will not be something that England does in isolation."

"From the sheep industry perspective, it is very important to ensure that all related policies work together throughout the UK."