'Livestock in NI can no longer bear UK ear tags thanks to Protocol' - Allister

The North Antrim representative recently asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, to detail whether his department is changing the prefix on tags for cattle and sheep; what those changes entail and also the rationale for this decision.

In his response, Minister Muir said the EU Animal Health Law (AHL) stipulates that Northern Ireland must use the letters XI (and the digital equivalent 899) as the prefix to all unique identification numbers assigned by DAERA to livestock. Therefore, this prefix XI will replace the UK prefix, which is currently displayed on cattle and sheep tags.The Minister confirmed his department is finalising plans to implement this change and it is provisionally expected the transition to XI tags will be completed by January 2025.

“The tentacles of the Protocol continue unabated to infect every aspect of life, particularly in dismantling our Britishness,” Mr Allister commented.

“A further tangible example is how our livestock can no longer bear UK ear tags but must, by virtue of Protocol imposed EU law, have ear tags with the EU decreed designation ‘X1’.“Confirmation of this change by 2025 from the DAERA Minister expressly shows UK designation will be banned and the EU designation compulsory because Northern Ireland is subject to the EU Animal Health regime and laws.”

Mr Allister continued: “Not only does this inflict unnecessary additional costs on farmers but it is a manifestation of how Northern Ireland has been annexed into the EU when even our cattle and sheep cannot be tagged as British.

“This is but a part of what the Donaldson Deal has accepted. Well done Jeffrey!”

Following introduction of the new XI tags there will be a transition period before the use on ‘XI’ becomes mandatory, and during this period it will be possible for keepers to tag newborn animals with either old stocks of ‘UK’ tags, or the new ‘XI’ tags, DAERA has advised.At the end of the transition period, provisionally expected in January 2025 only XI tags will be able to be used.