Welsh Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies has chosen not to align with England on bluetongue controls, instead placing restrictions on the movement of animals into Wales.
According to data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the total number of BTV-3 cases in Great Britain for the 2024 to 2025 vector season is 262, with 260 being in England and 2 in Wales.
The total number of BTV-12 cases in Great Britain for the same season was one, identified in England.
Due to the number of cases in England, there are currently pre-movement testing exemptions in place when moving animals from the restricted zone to England. These exemptions will be in place until 30th June 2025, meaning those wishing to move animals must apply for a specific licence to move animals out of the restricted zone.
From 1st July 2025 the restricted zone for bluetongue will be extended to cover all of England. Livestock keepers will be able to move animals within England without a specific bluetongue licence or pre-movement testing.
However, changes to Bluetongue Control Policy in Wales from 20th June 2025 mean that any susceptible animals (ruminants or camelids including cattle, sheep, goats, deer, llamas and alpacas) moving from a Bluetongue Restricted Zone to Wales to live will require a specific movement licence and a valid pre-movement test at the keeper’s expense. If an animal is showing clinical signs on the day of transport, they cannot be moved to Wales.
This approach was taken instead of aligning with England and introducing a restricted zone.
Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, commented: “The current RZ approach in England has helped keep bluetongue away from the Welsh Border. I am grateful to the livestock sector in England, the Pirbright Institute and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for their outstanding efforts and cooperation in this matter. I regret the current RZ cannot be maintained but understand the reasons behind its expansion to the whole of England.
“In practical terms, it means we will lose the security of having a two-county buffer between potentially infected livestock in England and the Welsh border. This change increases the risk of disease incursion into Wales, either through the movement of infected livestock, or the ingress of virus carrying midges from across the border.
“Responding to the expansion of the RZ to the whole of England is therefore a major decision – with implications for the livestock sectors and animal health and welfare across Wales. I appreciate there are differing views about the future approach to bluetongue control in Wales.
“It does not seem feasible or realistic that we can keep the disease out forever, which would involve prohibiting all livestock movements to live from the RZ in England. From consideration of the evidence and listening to industry representations, I believe that option would be too demanding, as well as being unsustainable in the long term.
“At the same time, I cannot in all conscience invite bluetongue into Wales on 1st July through aligning with the RZ in England. I am unwilling to risk the uncertain impact of the disease in livestock dense areas like the Welsh borders. I am also extremely concerned about the economic and farmer wellbeing impacts of dealing with sick animals, and the livestock productivity and fertility losses associated with severe bluetongue, as observed in many affected European countries.”
Irranca-Davies highlighted that members of a bluetongue roundtable were unanimous in their support for vaccination, and agreed that it was a priority. He also stated that the policy would be kept under regular review, and claimed he was “prepared to adapt to the evolving disease situation”.
A “huge impact” on industry
NSA Cymru/Wales Region development officer Helen Roberts said: “It is disappointing the Welsh Government has not listened to our repeated calls to align with England and join the RZ on the 1st July. We are fully aware keeping a disease out and ensuring high levels of biosecurity is a priority but in this case the disease is spread by a midge that will not respect the border between England and Wales.
“This decision will have a huge impact on the whole industry but especially on sheep movements and the impending breeding sales for both rams and ewes, cross border farms and livestock markets will be severely affected by these changes.
“NSA Cymru/Wales Region will continue to engage with Welsh Government to ensure these rules are reviewed at regular intervals to ensure the industry can process and communicate any changes in a timely manner, to make sure the supply chain continues to operate with as little disruption as possible.”
NSA chief executive Phil Stocker commented: “The Welsh Government’s aim is to keep BTV out of Wales but this decision will create real disruption for farmers in both England and Wales.”
“Any animal being moved from England from July to a Welsh market would need to be pre-movement tested.”
Phil Stocker, NSA
Stocker continued: “From 1st July the Government financial support to cover the cost of pre-movement testing will also end meaning a significant cost of between £60 and £70 per head will have to be borne by farmers needing to test. There is also still only one laboratory able to carry out the BTV tests which could also create problems for farmers waiting for results. NSA can foresee this will result in very few animals being able to move to live across the border into Wales.
“This will have a massive impact on markets, shows and sales. Any animal being moved from England from July to a Welsh market would need to be pre-movement tested. Markets, shows and sales in England will be free to take animals from farmers in Wales but farmers will need to be aware that if there is a possibility they might want to return to Wales with them or if they are bought by someone else wanting to return them to Wales, they will need a pre-movement test before being taken back.”
Nick Allen, CEO of the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) attended the roundtable, stating: “This is a disappointing decision that will certainly put abattoirs in Wales at a commercial disadvantage. However our challenges will be nothing compared to the disruption and cost that the whole livestock sector in Wales will endure.
“Once again the farming sector does not seem to have been listened to. We understand the difficulty of this decision and hope that it will be reviewed as soon as the situation changes. Keeping a midge borne disease at bay is extremely challenging for everyone and will stretch resources in every direction and we hope the Welsh Government will support the sector in every way possible having made this decision. We agree that vaccination should be encouraged widely, it was the only way the outbreak in 2007 was arrested and it will probably be the main way this outbreak will be controlled.”
