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Whitehall officials are discussing a plan for the “mass slaughter” of sheep en route to the EU if a no-deal Brexit leads to delays or closures at ports.

If ports are closed in the event of a no-deal Brexit, livestock would be stranded in lorry queues that are expected to stretch back for 20 miles or more.

Civil servants are understood to have discussed the mass slaughter of sheep in those lorries are part of their contingency planning.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales described it as "horrific".

It said the Government would be "truly reckless" to consider leaving the EU without a deal on March 29.

The Times reported that “sensitive discussions” are underway in Downing St and in Government departments about what to do with livestock if there is disruption at ports, citing 2016 figures showing 4,000 sheep are transported to Europe for slaughter each year.

It quoted a Whitehall source saying: “The thing worrying some in No 10 is the discussion prompted by Clare Moriarty [permanent secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] about what to do, and whether we would need to have mass slaughter of such animals en route to slaughterhouses in the EU.

"It’s the kind of thing they think unlikely but they also know the consequence for failing to plan would be terrible.”

The FUW warns against a 'horrific' outcome

Glyn Roberts, the president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales,sad: “It is of course right for Whitehall and other administrations to make contingency plans for worst case scenarios – in fact we have lobbied Government to undertake contingency planning since June 2016.

"However, it would be truly reckless of our Government and Parliament to chose an option which led to such horrific outcomes in terms of medical and veterinary supplies or animals having to be slaughtered, and widespread disruption with dire economic impacts.

“It is for this reason that we asked Theresa May when we met with her in the summer to seek an agreement with the EU on extending the Article 50 period, which is possible under the Lisbon Treaty.”

Farmers say this is a 'wake up call'

The NFU union described the discussions as a “wake up call” that highlighted the need for a Brexit deal.

Wyn Evans, who chairs NFU Cymru’s livestock board, said: “A third of the lamb produced in Wales is exported and of this over 90% goes into the EU market. The vast majority of lamb is slaughtered and processed domestically and sold under the PGI Welsh Lamb brand.

“There are however a small number of sheep from the UK exported live for specific markets. These would be transported under the highest welfare standards.

“Whilst we understand that the Government has to make contingency plans for every possible scenario in the event of a no-deal Brexit, this is just another stark reminder of the possible consequences of a no-deal. We would hope that whatever happens on Brexit day this scenario would never arise, however it should be a further wake up call for our Government negotiators to ensure that the UK comes to a reasonable deal with the EU; one that will allow us to continue to trade freely with our closest and most significant market.”

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Plaid says a no-deal Brexit would be 'insanity'

Plaid Cymru Ceredigion MP Ben Lake expressed alarm, saying: “The insanity of a no-deal Brexit becomes ever clearer with every announcement coming from Westminster... Slaughtering sheep on the side of the motorway is not indicative of the sunlit uplands that the Brexiteers promised two years ago.”

House of Commons Library research shows that the value of live animal exports from Wales to the EU increased from £200,000 in 2012 to £11.2m in 2016.

However, there is strong pressure to end such exports. The UK Government has gathered evidence on the potential for a ban.

UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove pledged last month that Brexit would not lead to “food rotting or animals being destroyed by the side of the road”.

In September the National Audit Office warned of the risk of delays, stating: “Export health certificates will also be required for the first time for exports to the EU if there is no deal which will result in a significant increase in certificates needing to be processed by vets. Without enough vets, consignments of food could be delayed at the border or prevented from leaving the UK.”

In 2016 Wales was home to 9,810,486 sheep and lambs – more than three times the human population.

This is what the UK Government had to say

(Image: Daily Post Wales)

A spokeswoman for the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insisted that a deal is likely to be reached.

She said: “It is in everyone’s interests to secure a good deal with the EU and we are confident that we’ll reach that this autumn. We are of course also preparing for the possibility of no deal, but there is no suggestion that under any future scenario there will be a need for the slaughter of animals at the border.

“As we have said before, we are also looking more widely at the export of live farm animals for slaughter once we leave the European Union. All options are on the table and a ban remains a possibility.”

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “A ‘no deal’ exit from the EU would cause significant disruption and damage to the livestock sector in Wales which would affect the economy and jobs in rural areas. It would be extremely difficult to mitigate the effects of no deal and as a Welsh Government we are looking at ways in which we can prepare for such a potential situation.

“A chaotic, crash-out ‘no deal’ Brexit is not what people wanted when they voted to leave the EU and it is the responsibility of the UK Government to make sure it does not happen.”