FARMERS are being urged by West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox to have their say regarding the European Government's proposed plans for sheep tagging.

If the plans were to go ahead in the UK, it would mean sheep born after January 1, 2010 would have to be electronically tagged.

This would entail recording the individual identities of sheep in holding registers, and from January 1, 2011, all sheep movements will have to be individually recorded.

The National Farmers' Union is currently running a questionnaire campaign to survey farmers across the UK to see how the proposed introduction of electronic identification and individual recording will influence their intentions to continue keeping sheep.

Mr Cox said: 'I urge all farmers who may be affected to take this opportunity to have their say.

'This is another absurd regulation which I have strongly resisted.

'It is a classic example of unnecessary and pointless regulation imposed on our farming communities.

'I have no doubt that if this proposal were to go through, it would have a detrimental effect on sheep farming, which is not only something that affects farmers, but also the wider economy of the UK.'