ETS/Disability Discrimination Act
Lat weeks VFTR headlining the conundrum of the ETS/DDA debate seems to have started some serious debate, which was the intention. Of course not everyone agreed with what I wrote, others thought I had not gone far enough. I am not going to reiterate the points I made this week save to say that we need to get the DDA side of the equation spot on as an Association. Whether that means that ETS is forced through or an alternative to ETS is acceptable remains to be seen but I am sure the debate will continue in the coming months prior to the AGM.

In the Media
Last week I issued a press release explaining the state of affairs with regards to the finances of the RPRA here at the Reddings. I have calculated that we have lost around £33,000 directly as a result of AI restrictions with less rings being sold, and as a result less transfers being made, both obvious income generators for the RPRA. We received some good coverage locally both on the radio, television and in the press. Well done to Peter Wilcox of Somerset and Dr Geoff Richmond of Nottingham for putting their side over at club level. I also managed to get national radio coverage on Farming Today and Gerry Francis was recording with the You and Yours programme on Radio 4. The Times and the Mirror, diverse ends of the media, both covered the story and our local Glos Echo misread the signs a bit stating that there would be 20 redundancies at the Reddings which was not the picture I painted and caused a little alarm with staff here. But without putting too fine a point on it, worst case scenario is that if we have another bad year financially serious decisions will have to be made. All of this was quite deliberate and to highlight our very genuine plight with DEFRA. I had mentioned to them back in September that I thought we would be losing money this year but I hadn’t calculated then on exactly how much. I certainly hope that DEFRA do read the signs and have a much more pragmatic approach to 2007. We will all appreciate certain actions will need to be taken should there be an outbreak in Britain or Western Europe but I sincerely believe that the risk assessments made rather over egged the situation. Of course there is risk in everything we do and every day. The key question is what is an acceptable risk? I have again this week sought a meeting with DEFRA and hope that this will materialise sooner rather than later because I know that race programmes need to be made. Moreover, ring sales are a little on the slow side at the moment and we need some reassurance from DEFRA that things, subject to outbreaks, will be better.

Bastille Day 14th July 2007
When we do get to France organisations will need to note that Bastille Day next year falls on a Saturday. We have been advised by the FCF that no liberations will be permitted on Bastille Day, a public holiday in France. Liberations can take place on the 15th, Sunday but transporters will be able to travel to sites nevertheless on the Saturday.

Amtrak Price Rise
I have received the following message from Amtrak HQ. “There will be price increase for the Amtrak Homing Express service with effect from 20 November 2006. With the cost of fuel and other increases imposed on our business, it has become necessary to review the prices offered to pigeon fanciers to bring them in line with our other standard services. The Homing Express service has not had a rate increase since November 2004 and it has only been in the last couple of months that we have started to charge a fuel surcharge even though our other customers have been paying it for some time.

Currently, many fanciers use our service by phoning or faxing their local Amtrak depot to organise for collection and delivery of their pigeons. This method of booking has become outdated and in-line with other carriers, Amtrak has introduced an online booking system. This vastly reduces the margin for error, which happens quite regularly with handwritten consignment notes and also allows fanciers to track their pigeons online. To this end, a two-tier pricing structure will be introduced.

If a fancier books the collection / despatch online by using the Online Booking System via the Amtrak website then they will benefit from a better rate than fanciers who book directly with the depot. Online bookings are simple, quick and easy to complete. The current rate that fanciers pay is £22.00 up to 4 birds plus a fuel surcharge - £23.32 incl. VAT

New Rates Effective from 20/11/06:

• Bookings made Online - £25.00 incl. VAT for up to 4 birds Please note, there is no additional fuel surcharge
• Bookings made with the Depot - £30.00 incl. VAT for up to 4 birds Please note, there is no additional fuel surcharge

To make bookings online, the fanciers will need to have an Amtrak account although many regular senders already have their own account. All they need to do is visit the Amtrak website and click on 'Register Online Booking System' which is at the bottom left of the Home Page. We will also shortly be introducing a credit card facility so those who do not want to open an account but still want to book online, can pay by credit card.”

Implementation of the EU regulation on the protection of Animals during Transport
As you may already be aware, the new EU Regulation on the welfare of animals during transport applies from 5 January 2007. From that date, anyone transporting any vertebrate animals over 65 kilometres (approx. 40 miles) in connection with an economic activity, will be required to:

• be authorised by the competent authority;
• have received training or entrust the handling of the animals to personnel who have received training;
• demonstrate that they have appropriate staff and equipment to transport animals in a proper way and have no record of serious infringements of animal welfare legislation in the preceding 3 years.

For long journeys (those in excess of 8 hours) road vehicles used for transporting animals must also be inspected and approved by the competent authority of a Member State or a body designated by a Member State. Containers used for transport on long journeys also require inspection but only those used to transport horses and livestock. If containers are removable from the vehicle then Defra is of the view that these do not require inspection and approval as it is the container the animal is transported in rather than the vehicle, which is critical to the welfare of the animal.

More detailed guidance on how the Regulation will be enforced and information on obtaining a transporter authorisation will be available on the Defra website at the following link, in due course: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/farmed/transport.htm [opens in new window].

Listed in the new legislation is the requirement for vehicles to be fitted with GPS so the vehicle can be tracked but please note this only applies to vehicles carrying cattle and horses.

The helpline number where you can obtain a licence application is 0845 6038395. Don’t forget that this is free if you apply by 31st March 2007 otherwise it will cost £25.

Peter Bryant
General Manager
The Royal Pigeon Racing Association