The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA), has welcomed the deferral of the full implementation of the Anti-parasitic Regulations and the e-prescription process.
It was recently announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, that the transition period for the requirement of a veterinary prescription for anti-parasitic medicines has been extended to December 1, this year.
The need for an extension arose from a combination of supply chain issues for anti-parasitic medicines and the software system for the National Veterinary Prescribing System (NVPS), which requires more time to be developed.
Speaking after a meeting of the Anti-parasitic Implementation Committee, ICMSA deputy president, Denis Drennan welcomed the latest extension. He outlined that it must be used to agree cost effective, practical and workable solutions for farmers, vets, and the suppliers of veterinary medicines.
However, Drennan added that while the second deferral of the proposed new regulations is welcome, the ICMSA still has the same concerns it raised last year, and that the issues they mentioned have remained.
The organisation is particularly concerned with complexities of the new system, and has said that the additional costs being imposed on farmers must be addressed in the context of other regulatory changes being introduced.
Speaking about what now needs to happen, the ICMSA said in a statement that the National Veterinary Prescription Service (NVPS) system needs further testing to ensure it addresses issues around access for farmers.
“Farmers must have access to necessary medicines when required, to address specific animal health issues on a farm and the system should not be made mandatory until all issues are resolved.”
Placing additional regulations on farmers and vets and passing the costs of that on to them is not an option said Drennan.
He concluded that the responsibility to ensure a “workable and practical regime is introduced” lies with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his department.