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Vets In Wales Express Frustration At Last Minute Changes To Animal Health Scheme Transition Plan
9 hours ago 
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The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has responded to the Welsh Government’s announcement today (20 July) outlining its plans to move to a streamlined Animal Health Improvement Cycle (AHIC) under the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) for farmers who are members of an aligned farm assurance scheme, which will have unintended negative impacts on the veterinary profession in Wales.
From 2027 farms who have joined the SFS and are members of an accredited farm assurance scheme who have committed to aligning with the AHIC requirements will require only one vet visit to comply with both the AHIC and farm assurance scheme requirements, which if done properly could represent a positive move for vets and farmers. However, the transition arrangements announced today means that farms registered with qualifying farm assurance schemes will still be eligible for SFS funding in 2026 without the need to undertake the expected AHIC vet visit in 2026.
This change is disappointing for those veterinary professionals and businesses who were asked to undertake the necessary training and preparation for these visits during the busy winter and spring period. Practices will also have prepared for the impact of the AHIC, investing in their businesses and increasing capacity in order to meet the SFS’s requirements of them. In addition, the new transition arrangements risk undermining the very goal of the AHIC in the long term, and any streamlining of the AHIC and Farm Assurance systems should not come at the expense of animal health and welfare in Wales.
Responding to the proposed plans, British Veterinary Association Welsh Branch President Phoebe McCarter said: “We support plans to streamline Animal Health Improvement Cycle (AHIC) veterinary checks for farmers who are a part of farm assurance schemes to avoid any duplication of effort, where relevant, for both farmers and vets. However, these last-minute changes to transition arrangements will likely have unintended consequences to the sustainability of veterinary practices in Wales in the short term, and risk undermining animal health and welfare, a core pillar of the scheme.
“Many practices have invested in their business for 2026 based on expected AHIC work and the published requirements of the scheme. We know that some practices have hired new team members to cope with capacity and all have spent time and money training their vets to complete the AHIC. It’s concerning that the goalposts have now been moved without consulting the profession. We’d like to see a commitment from the Welsh Government that there will be no further changes without consultation with the veterinary profession.”
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