Farmers at the meeting complained about the spiralling costs and unfair testing regime for bovine TB; they expressed concern that the Government was running down the State veterinary Service and passing the responsibility on to them; and they also raised the issue of the anthrax case in Hawick, saying a number of questions remained unanswered.

Northumberland NFU chairman Carron Craighead, of Ponteland, said: "Beef farmers in Northumberland were left dismayed at the spiralling costs of pre-movement testing on their beef herds.

"There is also a feeling of disbelief at the way the parish testing of TB means that any beef farmer in the same parish as a confirmed case of TB is forced to have any stock tested before moving them to a livestock auction or sale, except for immediate slaughter, whereas beef farms often closer to a hot spot area as the crow flies but deemed to be in another parish are exempt from pre-movement testing and are often still on a four-year testing regime.

Source: icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk