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DEFRA drops livestock movement limit 16/1/2004
DEFRA has abandoned its proposals to impose a 150km distance limit on the movement of livestock through markets in the aftermath of the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak.
When DEFRA announced the possible measure a year ago Bala Welsh Black breeder Emyr Jones, who is now Deputy President of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, warned it would lead to the closure of some livestock auction markets and effectively kill off the live export trade vital for the Welsh farming economy.
"The FUW submitted a host of reasons why such a step would not be practical and we welcome the fact that DEFRA have fully recognised the points we made and are not proposing to take the proposed measure any further," Mr Jones said.
In a letter to the FUW's Director of Policy Arwyn Owen, DEFRA stated that Ministers had concluded the benefits of introducing a distance limit are too small given the wider impact. But they reserved the right to revisit the issue should circumstances change.
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