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Farming Today: 13/01/2014

13/01/2014

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 13/01/2014

Is the government taking too long to reduce the red tape around livestock movement rules?

The Lib Dem MP Tim Farron says the government is taking too long to reduce red tape for farmers. But not everyone agrees that livestock movement restrictions should be lifted.

The government's efforts to remove red tape from farming are taking far too long, that's according to the Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron, who says ministers should do more to remove unnecessary rules.

Last week the secretary of State for the Environment Owen Paterson announced changes which he says will save farmers and taxpayers 70 million pounds over the next 10 years. They'll come in in 2016 and 2017, 5 years after they were recommended by a taskforce set up by the government to tackle over-regulation. However Tim Farron says the progress being made by the department for farming and rural affairs is too slow and wants to see the standstill rule, where farmers aren't allowed to move livestock for six days after new animals are bought on to the farm, lifted.

However, the British Veterinary Association disagree. They say that whilst the standstill rule came in during the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 the rules are still necessary to reduce the potential spread of infectious disease.

And as farmers around the UK prepare for lambing, we meet one farmer who's been paired up with a young farmer through the National Sheep Association's lambing list. The list allows farmers and students to gain work experience whilst giving farmers an extra pair of hands in the lambing shed.

The UN has declared 2014 the international year of family farming. As part of the campaign, farmers will be encouraged to share ideas and highlight the success of family farms. We speak to the Food and Agriculture Association's campaign director about the importance of productive family-run farms.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jules Benham.

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