The proposed new Animal Health and Welfare Bill could enhance Scotland's reputation for the highest standards of animal care, according to NFU Scotland. The Scottish Parliament's Environment and Rural Development Committee will be hearing from Nigel Miller, Chairman of NFU Scotland's Livestock Committee, on 30 November as part of their oral evidence taking on the draft Animal Health and Welfare Bill.

NFU Scotland broadly supports the legislative proposals outlined in the Bill, which aim to:

• Enhance the ability to respond to exotic (foreign) disease outbreaks
• Minimise the risk of disease spread
• Introduce a duty of care on keeping animals; and
• Allow animals either suffering or in danger of suffering to be seized.

Nigel Miller, a farmer and qualified vet from the Borders, speaking in advance of the evidence giving session, said:

"Of particular relevance to the agricultural industry is the subject of disease control. We support a flexible approach to dealing with exotic diseases. However, we need to ensure approaches are proportionate, pragmatic and based on stakeholder involvement and broader veterinary advice. We accept, that in terms of disease control, vaccination will be central to any control policy. However, any policy to vaccinate but slaughter at a later date will be deeply unpopular at farm level while a vaccinate to live policy requires further discussions with other parts of the food chain on how the meat, milk and products from vaccinated stock can be properly marketed.

"The Bill must also provide comfort to all livestock farmers in Scotland that the recognised management procedures that they carry out on an almost daily basis - tail docking, castration, tooth-clipping, beak trimming etc - are not lost in the process. These procedures deliver both short and long term welfare benefits to livestock. We have received reassurances that guidance on so-called mutilations will feature exemptions for such farm practices but we will be seeking clarification that there will be no gaps or omissions that threaten good farming practice.

"In general, I am in support of the measures within the Bill, but look forward to having the opportunity to give oral evidence and contribute to the fine tuning of the measures. I feel confident that the Bill will be a positive step forward for animal health and welfare across the country."

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