Permit onus on farmers

CATTLE buyers and sellers are both warned to notify movements of stock to the Department of Agriculture and Food, but there is only one perforated slip on the Movement Permit - one of the bureaucratic challenges for farmers identified by the Agriculture Appeals Office.

However, the Department says it is not for them to state whether the buyer or seller should return the form, and has spelled out how the Certificate of CMMS Compliance works. The keeper on whose holding or premises the animal to be moved is currently situated applies for this Certificate, which is used to confirm CMMS Compliance in advance of the movement of the animal.

The top part is retained by the seller or source herd number of the animal, the middle portion should be given to the buyer of the animal, and the bottom portion must be signed by the seller and the buyer, and returned to the Movement Agency at the time of movement, to confirm that the movement has taken place.