Letter to Defra's Animal Identification and International Trade Division, dated 30 July 2001, clarifying FAWC's comments on proposals for 20 day standstill periods following movements of sheep, goats and cattle.

The Council is pleased to note that a decision on this issue will be addressed as part of the overall approach to future disease control taking account of biosecurity, animal identification and licensing. I would also like to take this opportunity of clarifying FAWC's position, as there appears to have been some misunderstanding of the message in our letter of 11 July in response to the consultation exercise.

FAWC does not oppose effective measures which would minimise numbers of animal movements and achieve the desired result in terms of disease control. However these measures must allow the maintenance of good husbandry practices which ensure high standards of welfare. A suitable control framework would reduce multiple movements, possibly along the lines already adopted for calf movements. However, an essential prerequisite is an effective identification system for individual animals.

Our response of 11 July also stressed the need for veterinary guidance on the correct period of standstill for each species and for mixed farms, as well as the importance of ensuring that sufficient flexibility is built into the detail of the proposals to take into account the practicalities of good farming practices to high welfare standards - particularly in the sheep industry. Equally important is the elimination of bad farming practices and this must be realistically achievable within the control framework adopted.

It is particularly helpful in this context that the timescale you now envisage will allow fuller veterinary and welfare considerations to be evaluated prior to decisions being taken.