THE classification of Herefordshire into a high-risk area means that movement of stock is now only permitted within the county, with the exception of stock going for slaughter.

And from Monday, most movement licences will have to be obtained from Herefordshire trading standards office which has taken on more staff to cope with the expected extra work. Veterinary surgeons will only be allowed to licence stock in certain instances, such as for crossing roads.

TWO-EDGED

For many farmers it will be a two-edged sword. Breeders who move sheep and other stock to winter on farms in Herefordshire will be unable to do so after the weekend. For Herefordshire farmers this will be another loss of revenue. John Parker of Herefordshire Council's animal health and welfare office, said the new licence arrangements would begin to operate on Monday. "From then local authorities will become the licensing body, except for occupational licences permitting frequent movements across roads."

Mr Parker said the new system would operate in conjuction with a computer link. "It is a busy time for stock movement and we may have to take on even more staff but only time will tell," said Mr Parker.

A spokeswoman for DEFRA said: "You can move stock from farm to farm but movement outside the area is only to slaughter. And you can't transfer from one high-risk area to another, such as from Hereford to Powys."

Another blow is that farm sales have been banned. Previously, people could gather for the purpose of a sale on a farm but now only a maximum of two together are allowed to visit a holding to buy animals. Rather than having to endure an increasing stranglehold on movement, farmers were by now hoping that the county would have obtained an all-clear ticket.

Elwyn Maddy, chairman of the county branch of the National Farmers' Union, said that the tighter regulation was bleak news. Mr Maddy, who farms at Michaelchurch, said that a few weeks ago it looked like a fast-track clearance for the county.

PROXIMITY

"But because of outbreaks in Northumberland, where severe measures have been taken, and our close proximity to the Welsh border, the clearance procedure has been slowed.

"What has happened in Northumberland has frightened the powers that be as outbreaks were expected to have stopped by now.

The DEFRA spokesman said the holding of farm sales had been a grey area and had been cancelled largely because of biosecurity measures.