News

This is where we'll announce the latest news about the Dartmoor Sheep Breeders Association, please send any local information or your own funny stories to Fiona - miles@groubear-farm.co.uk

Secretary

Patrick Aubrey-Fletcher

Telephone
01579 350920

Address
DSBA c/o Lower Stockadon Farm, St Mellion, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6QF

E-mail
General Information: secretary@greyface-dartmoor.org.uk

Tom Alford - RIP

It is with regret that I have to inform Members of the death of Tom Alford of The Bartons, Sydenham Damerel, Tavistock (Flock number: 135) on Saturday 17th September 2011.

Tom Alford has been a long standing supporter of the Association and a showman and breeder of Greyface Dartmoor’s from the Tamar Valley since he was a boy and having taken over the Cardwell Flock from his Father. The flock is shown in the Fourth Edition of the Flock Book in 1923 with Cardwell 1.

The funeral was held at St Constantine Church, Milton Abbot, Devon, on Monday 26th September 2011 and was attended by The President, The Chairman and Council members. Family flowers only with donations being shared by the St Constantine Church Fund and CLIC Sargent Children’s Charity.

Jenny Hampstead
Chairman

Date Set for Bluetongue Freedom:

On July 5th GB will be officially declared free of bluetongue and the sheep industry will be at the end of a saga stretching back nearly four years.

The announcement by Defra this week that GB has met the required criteria to be officially recognised as being disease free has two significant direct effects in terms of sheep production and management:

1. From July 5th it will not be legal to vaccinate sheep against bluetongue as the regulations prevent vaccination in a free area

2. Exports of sheep to other countries not affected by bluetongue will be free of the current restrictions. This is of particular relevance to people exporting to Northern Ireland into which exports are only possible at the moment if certain conditions are met.

This is however not quite the end of the story, NSA and indeed Defra still wish to see a change to the regulations which permits the use of vaccine even if an area is deemed to be free of disease. There are still numbers of farmers who wish to vaccinate against the disease, mainly in the east and south east of England and NSA believes they should be able do so if they wish as there are no significant downsides or risks associated with such a permission being granted. This issue is being looked at by the EU Commission and even though they have not agreed to date there is a good level of confidence that they will recommend such a change in the coming weeks.

National Sheep Association

Free Wool Directory online . . .

Connecting South West wool producers to wool users

Who is the Wool Directory for?
South West Wool producers - market your fleece or yarn to a wide audience of potential buyers and connect with others in the wool supply chain.

a new free online database initiated by the Centre for Contempory Art and the Natural World in collaboration with Claire Crompton of Give Fleece A Chance. For further details go to