Jo backs local farmers against unnecessary legislation

Friday, May 29th | by Focus Team Comments

Jo Swinson MP has called on Scottish ministers to stand up for local farmers’ interests in EU discussions on sheep-tagging.

Jo Swinson MP supports local farmers

On Wednesday Jo visited Tower Farm near Torrance where she spoke to local farmer David Imrie about his views on new European plans that will require all sheep to be electronically tagged.

The proposals have been criticised as being expensive and impractical, with opponents fearing that many farmers and crofters in Scotland will be pushed out of sheep production altogether.

Scottish Liberal Democrats have been actively campaigning this week against the new proposals – even inviting a farmer with his two ewes and their lambs to the Scottish Parliament ahead of a debate on the issue.

Commenting, Jo Swinson said:

“I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Tower Farm on Wednesday – it was great to talk face-to-face about the daily routine of farm life as well as the challenges that are facing many local farmers.

“What is so shocking about the plans for electronic sheep-tagging is that Scottish ministers have failed to adequately represent the views of local farmers and their justifiable concerns about the scheme. When they should have been applying pressure in Europe for increased flexibility in the proposals, Scottish ministers were absent from negotiations.”

  • Neil Scott
    Never mind the sheep - what about the children of the new build schools who are being given the "choice" of fingerprinting; pin numbers and id cards with or without pohotos in order to get a lunch? the peer pressure these children are under is incredible - lots of kids think it is cool to be fingerprinted. so what is this teaching our children? To be tagged like sheep? It is disgraceful that a learning opportunity like this - ie. id cards/ biometrics etc has been dictated by a corporation and seemingly the voices of parents - or our elected representatives - have been drowned out by the sound of money talking.
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