Speaking in the Senedd, Samuel Kurtz has highlighted “significant flaws” in the Welsh Government’s bluetongue prevention measures.

The Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs called the policy “out of touch with farming reality” and”neither proportionate nor pragmatic.”

“Movement restrictions on stock, when the disease is not spread from animal-to-animal transmission but by midges, are sowing uncertainty at the height of the trading season.

“We all want to keep bluetongue out, but this heavy-handed and bureaucratic policy will only harm the industry it aims to protect.”

He added that England’s restricted zone policy with increased vaccinations “better reflects the realities of animal movements and the shared nature of the threat, offering a more practical solution for farmers on both sides of the border.”