FARMERS in Cumbria will remain exempt from a rule that requires individual sheep to be recorded when moved between different land parcels.

NFU’s North West Livestock representatives challenged Defra’s policy to remove the valued exemption from the rule.

The movement exemption, which became under threat earlier this year, allows sheep movements between different holding numbers within the same business (provided the keeper-ship does not change) to be reported as a batch rather than by individual animal.

NFU’s Cumbria County Chairman David Raine said: "When the NFU’s North West regional management board learned that this important exemption was under threat we seriously questioned the requirement to remove it.

"We argued the change would not lead to any substantial improvements in traceability. Essentially it would have led to added bureaucracy for no reason.

"Defra had intended as part of the 10 mile rule to remove this exemption from the 1st of January 2018.

"It has now announced that they are proposing to extend the current provision to permit batch reporting for within business sheep movements that stay in the same keeper-ship.

"This will be communicated to all livestock keepers in November to coincide with the annual inventory."