IMPORTANT CHANGES TO LEGISLATION ** VETERINARY ATTESTATIONS** EFFECTIVE 13TH DECEMBER 2023

What is Changing?
Changes in EU legislation, as from 13th December 2023, will require all producers selling livestock for slaughter to have had an annual on-farm veterinary visit to allow their animals, and/or part of any animal, to be exported out of the UK. The Vet will provide the producer with a unique Veterinary Attestation Number, known as a “VAN” within their certificate.
What is the “VAN” number?
The Veterinary Attestation Number, known as “VAN”, is a unique reference number provided by Vets to producers within their Veterinary Attestation certificate to certify that an annual on-farm visit has taken place. A VAN number is valid for 12 months. This information will need to be provided to livestock markets, and onwards to buyers, for livestock sold for slaughter The VAN number is made up of 20 digits as follows, including the Vets RCVS number, the CPH number the VAN corresponds to, and expiry date. For example: 1234567-12/345/6789-0624 [MRCVS number]-[CPH number]-[Valid to the end of June 2024.
What will you need to do?
If you are a member of a qualifying assurance scheme (Red Tractor Assurance) then you do not need to do anything.
If you are not Farm Assured, you will need to provide the auctioneers with your VAN number prior to, or on arrival at the market. For sheep, this will be included on an updated official sheep movement form. For cattle, we will provide an updated cattle entry form to include a place to write your VAN number if necessary. For pigs, the digital eAML2 form has been updated to accommodate the VAN number.
Please note that the above will include Prime, cull and store stock. We will take a note of your VAN number on our market system and this will be valid for 12 months. VAN templates can be found here: Veterinary declaration for animal health visits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
For any enquiries, please contact your local vet or a member of the team at Frome Market.
Source: Livestock Auctioneers Association Limited. 23/10/2023