Welsh NFU backs curbs on dairy farm inspections

The National Farmer's Union of Wales has described the Food Standards Agency's consultation on a plan to reduce the frequency of official inspections on Welsh dairy farms as a positive step.

But the NFU warned more could be done to ensure a positive future for dairy farmers.

Newly elected chairman of NFU Cymru dairy board, Maurice Jones, said: "NFU Cymru has been working with Animal Health Dairy Hygiene (AHDH), Defra, WAG and Assured Dairy Farms (ADF) for a number of years now to reduce the inspection burden on dairy farms through recognition of assured farm status as an indicator of low risk.

"Given this work NFU Cymru believes the proposals in their current format do not go far enough in recognising the low food safety risk status of British dairy farms."

Welsh dairy farmers are inspected by AHDH on behalf of the FSA and as members of ADF more than 95 per cent of producers are inspected again for farm assurance purposes.

Mr Jones added: "There is duplication of inspection in the dairy sector with milk processors, retailers, trading standard and Animal Health all running their own inspection regimes and, for a number of years, NFU Cymru has called on the FSA to reduce the inspection burden on dairy farms.

"Members of farm assurance schemes represent a lower risk than those that are not, and that should be reflected in the frequency in which they are inspected."