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“Farming remains an important business in the UK, employing some 530,000 people and generating over £8 billion a year in income. Many farm businesses face an uncertain future, and Defra’s efforts to find innovative ways to help them adapt to new realities should be encouraged. My report considers good practice emerging in other countries, and makes recommendations as to how the Department can use this experience to improve its efforts to help farmers adapt to the commercial marketplace.”

“Information on the movement of animals around the country is of vital importance in the fight to prevent the spread of animal disease, all the more so when there is a serious outbreak. It is also vital to consumers confidence in the food that they eat. The animal identification and tracking systems in place at present have helped to protect public health but both systems are in need of improvement.

“For both of its current systems and in the implementation of its new Livestock Identification and Tracing Programme, Defra should work with the livestock industry to improve levels of data accuracy and encourage the use of online methods of communicating information.”