British Horse Society welcomes Ragwort Code
Minister for the Horse to present strategy document at Royal
Show
The British Horse Society (BHS) will be host to the Rt Hon
Alun Michael, Minister for Rural Affairs and Minister for
the Horse, at its stand at the Royal Show today (4 July).
The Minister will be presenting the eagerly awaited 'Code
of Practice on how to control Ragwort' during his visit.
The code is the first document of its kind to provide a strategy
whereby landowners and occupiers can form an effective policy
on Common Ragwort control. Ragwort kills an estimated 500
- 1000 horses every year and by following the code the risk
of equines ingesting the poisonous plant will be minimised.
At the presentation Mr Michael said, "I am delighted
to have the opportunity to launch the code. This is a good
practice guide that aims to significantly reduce the risk
that horses and other livestock might be poisoned.
"The emphasis is on protecting horses, whose digestive
system makes them particularly vulnerable but the plant also
plays a valuable role in our countryside ecosystem, being
the food plant for more than 70 species of insects most notably
the cinnabar moth. I urge all landowners and land managers
to work with horse and animal owners to adopt the code."
Graham Cory, BHS Chief Executive, added, "This is a
splendid example of what can happen when the horse industry,
led by the BHS, works cooperatively with the Government. We
trust that not only landowners but horse owners too will abide
by the code in order to protect horses from the terrible consequences
of Ragwort poisoning."
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