EU animal transport proposals "devastating" - Lib Dems

6.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 5th Aug 2008

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the EU George Lyon has hit out at plans by Europe to restrict animal transport times to eight hours.

Mr Lyon believes that if these plans go ahead they would have a devastating impact on Scottish agriculture.

Mr Lyon is writing to the EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mariann Fischer Boel, inviting her to visit Scotland, meet farming representatives, and see for herself the difficulties that further restrictions would have on the industry.

As part of his tour of the North East and the Northern Isles, Mr Lyon is meeting farming representatives to discuss their concerns about the EU plans on animal transport times.

Commenting, Mr Lyon said: "The EU proposal for an eight hour journey time restriction, if adopted, would have a devastating impact on Scottish livestock production. It would have a particularly detrimental impact in the Northern Isles and the North East of Scotland, as the plans would make it virtually impossible for animals to be transported to their markets within this time limit.

"The Commission seem to have no understanding of the distances involved and the time required to transport animals off islands like Orkney and Shetland to their market places.

"Many farmers I spoke to at the Turriff Show believe that the consultation is a sham and that the Commission have already made up their minds to introduce legislation to reduce journey times. That is why I am writing to Mariann Fischer Boel, the EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, inviting her to come and meet farming representatives to see firsthand the impact of these planned restrictions.

"We already have some of the highest welfare standards in Scotland and have just completed the introduction of new rules designed to further improve animal transport. There is, in my opinion, no good reason for further action at this time."

Aberdeenshire MSP Alison McInnes, who joined Mr Lyon at the Turriff Show yesterday, said: "I sincerely hope the EU listen to the concerns of farmers from areas such as North East Scotland who very often have to transport livestock great distances to market, and am grateful to George for fighting Scotland's corner at the EU."