Graeme Reavley, a Northumberland farmer and retired veterinary surgeon has been fined by Newcastle Magistrates after pleading guilty to a breach of livestock movement rules. 
 

Mr. Reavley illegally moved twenty sheep from his farm at Bowsden to Wooler Auction Mart in October 2021. These moves were made despite his premises being subject to a standstill of livestock movement under the Disease Control Order 2003, meaning that the sheep should not have been moved.   

The livestock standstill rules are designed to prevent and limit the spread of many animal diseases in the early stages where symptoms would not be apparent, even to a vet.  They were put in place following the devastating 2001 Foot & Mouth disease outbreak and are for the benefit and protection of the whole livestock industry.  

Any movement of cattle, sheep and goats onto a premises will trigger a 6-day standstill period. Moving pigs on and off premises triggers a longer standstill period. The main exception is if the livestock are going directly to a slaughterhouse. 

Northumberland County Council’s Trading Standards decision to prosecute came after Mr. Reavley had ignored repeated advice, warnings, and a caution for previous breaches of the livestock standstill rules.   
 

Inspectors found he had moved three sheep onto his farm on the 8th of October 2021, triggering a standstill which meant that no livestock should have moved off until 15th October or later, unless an exception applied. He then went on to move twenty sheep to an open sale at Wooler Mart on the 13th of October, only five days later.  Errors in the reporting of movements by Mr. Reavley meant that the breaches were not identified at the time and were only found during a subsequent routine inspection at his farm.   

Mr. Reavley, who did not appear in court, was ordered to pay over £1000 in fines and costs by Newcastle Magistrates on 7 July, 2023. 
 

Councillor Gordon Stewart, cabinet member for Looking After Our Communities said: “The livestock standstill rules are an important safeguard for disease control and the decision to prosecute was entirely appropriate given our previous involvement with Mr. Reavley.  Whilst Trading Standards will generally encourage compliance with the requirements by advising farmers and businesses, those repeatedly or deliberately flouting this legislation can expect to face more formal action”. 

Any keepers of livestock in Northumberland who would like some advice about the standstill rules are encouraged to contact our Trading Standards team by telephone on 01670 623869 or by email to tradingstandards@northumberland.gov.uk.