Farmers get burial extension

Local farmers devastated by the deaths of sheep, lambs and calves due to the recent Arctic conditions can continue to bury their dead animals in exceptional circumstances, Powys County Council has confirmed.

The Welsh Government has extended special measures introduced at the beginning of the month for the disposal of carcasses, after reports were received that fallen stock collectors were unable to reach farms.

The Welsh Government has limited powers under EU law to allow on-farm burial under emergency circumstances and it has decided to temporarily apply this derogation in the worst affected areas of Wales, which include Montgomeryshire and east Radnorshire.

The Welsh Government will authorise the burial of sheep, lambs and calves (up to six months old) until April 16. The measures will then be reviewed.

Powys says that farmers should continue to do everything that they can to facilitate the removal of carcasses from their farms and should contact a fallen stock collector in the first instance. If fallen stock collectors are unable to access farms in the worst affected areas of Montgomeryshire and east Radnorshire, farms will be allowed temporarily to bury them.

They must also notify Powys County Council’s Trading Standards Service that a burial is taking place and it must be recorded in the farmer’s movement book, with tag numbers if appropriate and the burial site location.

Farmers must provide evidence that collectors were unable to access their farm, consider the Natural Resources guidelines and then contact Trading Standards before any burials take place.

For further information or advice contact the council’s Animal Health Officers within Trading Standards on 01686 617524.