Consultations Pending
i) Food Standards Agency - Home Slaughter of Livestock Guidance
The Food Standards Agency have updated the Home Slaughter of Livestock guidance for England and Wales to reflect the changes to regulations.
Under the revised Animal Welfare Regulations, the home killing of an animal and any related operations shall only be carried out by persons with the appropriate level of competence to do so without causing the animals any pain, distress or suffering; on behalf of the owner, at the owner’s property, for domestic consumption.
For further information please follow click here. The consultation closes on the 28th October 2019.
ii) Sustainable Farming and our Land
The Welsh Government's consultation on the future of farm payments closes in just six days on 30th October. The consultation paper can be viewed by clicking here.
You can respond to the consultation by emailing your comments to
The FUW has consulted with its County Branches and Standing Committees, and will be submitting a detailed response.
(iii) Ageing Of Sheep At Slaughter
Welsh Government, DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are seeking views on the proposal to change English and Welsh legislation for ageing sheep at slaughter for the removal of Specified Risk Materials (SRM).
Currently, SRM is removed from sheep over 12 months of age as declared through dentition (checking teeth) for preventing Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) in the interest of public health.
Instead, the consultation proposes an (optional) alternative method for the ageing of sheep at slaughter: Sheep born in the previous calendar year and submitted for slaughter in the calendar year following their birth after an annual cut-off date of 30 June must be considered as aged over 12 months and therefore would require the removal of the spinal cord as SRM. Sheep born in the previous calendar year and submitted for slaughter in the calendar year following their birth before an annual cut-off date of 30 June would be considered as aged under 12 months and would not require removal of the spinal cord as SRM.
Please follow click here for the consultation document. Responses by 31st October 2019.
iv) National Development Framework
The Welsh Government National Development Framework consultation sets out the development of a twenty year plan for Wales up to 2040. It covers issues such as housing, energy, transport and the environment.
The consultation document is a comprehensive document covering all policies. The discussion document details policies on three regional areas of Wales:
North Wales
Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham local authorities)
Mid and South West Wales
Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion,Powys, Swansea, and Neath Port Talbot local authorities
South East Wales
Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taf,Cardiff, Caerphilly, Newport, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Monmouthshire
The consultation response document then asks for opinions on the propositions presented for each region. Your local county knowledge would be valuable in answering these.
There are a further seven documents covering integrated sustainability, habitat regulations, a young person's summary and an easy read document which can be accessed at the following link gov.wales/draft-national-development-framework.
The consultation has been extended until the 15th November.
v) Animal Exhibits
Animal Exhibits (AEs) are diverse and there is no current licensing regime or requirements for routine inspections, therefore animal welfare standards are not guaranteed. In addition, the Performing Animals Act 1925 requires performing animals to be registered with Local Authorities which currently have no end date, nor does the Act define what is meant by a ‘performing animal’.
The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Animal Exhibits) (Wales) Regulations 2020 will introduce a requirement for AEs which meet a given criteria to be licensed by their Local Authority. The scheme will provide for checks to be made to ensure good welfare standards are maintained and that animals are exhibited in a way that encourages respectful and responsible attitudes towards all species.
The consultation outlines that (a) Keeping animals primarily for dairy farming and livestock breeding and (b) Keeping or training animals for sporting purposes would be exempt from requiring a licence (as well as other categories).
Please follow click here for the consultation document. Deadline for responses is 21st November 2019.
vi) NRW ‘Challenges and Choices’
This is the second consultation under the Water Framework Directive that will contribute to the River Basin Management Plans and the State of Natural Resource Report (SoNaRR 2).
The consultation aims to share an overview of water management challenges in different areas of Wales and ways of improving these. Respondents can suggest actions that are required in different areas which should influence the approach to water management in the area.
NRW would like your views on the issues affecting Wales, the Western Wales River Basin District and the Dee River Basin District. In addition:
- Any additional evidence that we should include in the preparation of the Area Statements and SoNaRR 2
- The options for resolving the significant water management issues
- Your suggestions to address the issues identified in the river basin district
Please follow click here for the consultation document. Deadline for responses is 22nd December 2019.