Powys farmer fined for breaching animal health rules
A Powys farmer who refused to test his cattle for Bovine TB, as well as other breaches of animal health and welfare legislation, has been ordered to pay more £3,400 in court
Alastair Meikle of Meikle Growers Ltd, Gardd Afon, Tafolwern, Llanbrynmair admitted six offences when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
He failed to attend the initial court hearing on Tuesday, June 24, resulting in a warrant being issued for his arrest. The case was brought by Powys County Council’s Animal Health Team.
The charges included failing to complete TB testing of his herd by October 22 2023, obstructing a person in the execution of the Cattle Identification Regulations, and failing to provide records or to permit an inspection of cattle kept on the premises.
Meikle also admitted charges of failing to produce sheep and goat registers when instructed to do so by an authorised inspector, failing to produce pig registers when instructed by an authorised inspector, obstructing Jenni Hughes-Ellis, a person authorised under the regulation of the Animal By-Products Regulations and failing to produce animal by-product records when required to do so by Jenni Hughes-Ellis.
Powys County Council solicitor Reshmi Mukherjee said Meikle had persistently failed to comply with legal requirements, including refusing access to his premises on multiple occasions and failing to register cattle with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS).
Despite claiming that no cattle remained on site, subsequent investigations revealed otherwise, with some animals only registered after legal proceedings had commenced.
The court also heard that TB testing, which should have been completed in 2023, was only carried out in April and June 2025 following enforcement action.
