The government has announced it will end live exports for all purposes but breeding and introduce new measures to improve the welfare of farm animals transported live internally.
Defra and the Welsh government today (18 August) announced the development, despite some concern from farming industry groups.
The new measures will end the live exports of farm animals for slaughter and further fattening from Great Britain to anywhere in the world.
Internal transport will also be improved, including reduced maximum journey times, better space allowances such as more headroom, and stricter rules during extreme weather.
The ban on live animal exports could be delivered as early as January 2022 as the legislation is already going through parliament.
Every year thousands of farm animals are exported from the Port of Ramsgate in Kent to be driven across Europe.
But farming groups have warned that the significant regulatory change could potentially have a major impact on the UK food supply chain.
The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) has said that a live export ban could 'cut off an essential lifeline' for sheep producers.
President Glyn Roberts: “We fully appreciate people’s concerns about live exports, but we must bear in mind that the EU has legal welfare standards which are the highest in the world, and these apply both here and on mainland Europe."
According to Ruminant Health & Welfare (RH&W) – whose members represent the breadth of the supply chain – a ban on live exports would have far-reaching consequences.
It urged the government to build regional abattoir capacity in response: "Defra should, if a ban is implemented, take responsibility for the impact on businesses," said chairman Nigel Miller.
But the RSPCA, which has been campaigning on the issue of live exports for more than 50 years, welcomed the government's announcement.
The charity's chief executive Chris Sherwood said: “There is absolutely no reasonable justification to subject an animal to an unnecessarily stressful journey abroad simply for them to be fattened for slaughter.
“This is a victory for every single person who has signed a petition, demonstrated at the docks, wrote to their MPs and leaders and most importantly for the animals.
“We also welcome tighter controls over transporting live animals within Great Britain as it’s a time when they can suffer stress and injury and their welfare needs to be protected.”
