A new online system for recording cattle movements will come into force at the end of this year, along with an end to linked holdings rules.
Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing yesterday confirmed that the current system, CTS Links, would be replaced by a modernised online system known as ScotMoves.
He said the new system would not require farmers or crofters to record any more information than they record at present, and it would allow keepers to move cattle within their business without reporting movements to the Cattle Tracing System (CTS).
However, NFU Scotland (NFUS) said the new system would put an end to CTS linked holding rules, and farmers and crofters would now be required to report all moves between different holdings electronically.
Mr Ewing said there would be no financial penalties for any first-time breaches for anyone working with the new recording system in 2017.
“The Scottish Government has been working with the joint industry working group and invested in ScotEID to develop a new and innovative system, ScotMoves, which allows the use of an online holding register to record moves within a farm business,” said Mr Ewing.
“I am determined that we must make every effort to protect Scotland’s livestock from disease while also enabling businesses to be flexible. That is why we have worked closely with the industry working group to develop this new system which should meet the future needs of users and the public.”
NFUS vice president Andrew McCornick said the union had written to Mr Ewing asking for greater flexibility in the time period in which farmers are required to record cattle movements on the central database.
He said: “Proposals need to take better account of weekends and delays in updates to the Scottish system from the national CTS. Practical timings for recording movements are needed to ensure farmers doing their best to comply don’t get landed with penalties.”
Fife farmer and former NFUS president John Cameron, who served as a member of the industry group on CTS links, welcomed the launch of the new system and Mr Ewing’s commitment not to impose financial penalties on farmers making mistakes with the new system in its first year.
