Reminder - proof of vet visit required for non-assured producers from Wednesday
11th Dec 2023 / By Alistair Driver
Non-assured producers are reminded that, from this Wednesday, December 13, they must be able to demonstrate that a veterinary visit has taken place in the past 12 months when sending animals to market or slaughter.
A temporary measure has allowed farmers to self-declare since our formal departure from the EU. However, from December 13, 2023 UK producers sending animals to market or to slaughter must be able to demonstrate that a veterinary visit has taken place in the past 12 months.
Membership of qualifying assurance schemes, including Red Tractor, or having a Pig Pathway visit, for England only, is deemed as meeting the requirement.
A vet attestation visit can be combined with any farm visit as long as the criteria have been met.
meet the requirements of the attestation, your visit should:
- Incorporate assessments of animal health at the farm level (all animals under the same CPH number) – this should cover on-site inspection and visualisation only. Examination of individual animals, sampling and laboratory testing is not required.
- Include the provision of advice to the farmer on suggested biosecurity improvements that could be made which are relevant for the farm, the species, and categories of animals kept. Advice given is not recorded on the attestation.
- Consider the associated diseases and risks of the species present. Multiple species on one site can be subject to one veterinary attestation if the biosecurity situations for all species on that site are addressed.
The keeper needs to record the vet attestation number (VAN) on the Food Chain Information documentation.
The British Veterinary has put together a useful Q&A on the new requirement.
More information.
- Veterinary attestation template and guidance: