The Ulster Farmers' Union has voiced strong opposition to Department of Agriculture and Rural Development plans to introduce a new system for sheep identification from January 1, 2005.

DARD will shortly be informing flockowners of the new tagging arrangements, with copies of the new flock record book and movement documentation to follow in the new year.

However, the UFU said that the system being proposed for Northern Ireland "goes beyond EU requirements".

European Union legislation requires that all Member States implement an individual tagging system for sheep and goats from July 2005 as part of crosscompliance.

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Source: Farming Life, David McCoy
December 18, 2004

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