Bluetongue restrictions worry farmers on border

Oswestry's livestock auction sees about 80% of its animals crossing the border between England and Wales

Farmers on the border between Shropshire and Wales are worried measures to stop the spread of the bluetongue virus will hurt cross-border trade.

The restrictions, due to be introduced next month will mean cattle, sheep and goats travelling from England to Wales will need to test negative for the potentially fatal disease before they can be transported across the border.

John Bevan, the director Oswestry livestock auction on the English side of the border, said there was a lot of uncertainty and the measures could have a "massive impact" during sales of livestock in the autumn.

The MP for North Shropshire, Helen Morgan, said there needed to be greater clarity for farmers.

While bluetongue has spread across large parts of England, it has yet to reach Wales this year and the Welsh government said it was attempting to hold it back "for as long as we can".

At a market like Oswestry, where 80% of the livestock sold will cross over the border, every Welsh animal which does not sell will need to be tested before it can return to Wales, at a cost of up to £70 per animal.

Each test only last seven days before animals need to take a fresh one.

John Bevan said farmers had a lot of questions about the restrictions

Helen Roberts, who farms in Wales, said it would force her to look further afield for cattle auctions on the Welsh side of the border instead of Oswestry, which is just three miles away.

She said it was "just ridiculous".

Ms Morgan said: "There are hundreds of farms that have land on both sides of the border, so it's really problematic and inconvenient for them and there's a lack of clarity over how they should manage that situation at the moment."