The Traceability Design Users Group (TDUG) met on Monday under the Chair of John Cross who has returned to this role following Laura Ryans departure.

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker was in attendance and reports: “NSA reported a couple of weeks ago that the originally November planned launch of the new sheep movements service is now to be delayed until Spring 2022 – this decision still stands and is due to a need to continue to progress with work around cattle traceability relating to available resources.

The group’s view is that it is more important to get things right for when it is launched than trying to rush things. We have always been working within the principle of this being a multi-species movements service, so have no problem with this decision which will simply mean using ARAMS for a little longer. TDUG had a report back from the new Data Advisory Panel, having met once to get things underway. It was particularly satisfying to see this panel become active given I’d been chairing a working group that led to its being – its role is to give considered advice to Livestock Information Ltd and its owners (Defra and AHDB) on the handling of data usage and requests.

This meeting had a much more engaged input from Defra, which demonstrated a real shift in thinking over policy and regulatory work with regard to livestock traceability. While we have been struggling to get any progress on plans for a review of traceability policy, a full industry consultation can now be expected in early 2022, on a range of related topics including paperless moves, the six day standstill, and pre-movement notification”.