The Asturian Rural Union (URA) has made public the "serious situation" that livestock farmers in the west of Asturias are facing "as a consequence of the poor planning of veterinary services in the Agricultural Comarcal Offices during the holiday period."
In a note sent to the media, the organization recalls that the Ministry of Rural Affairs still has not responded to the letter submitted on July 28 to the General Directorate of Agricultural Planning, in which it demanded that the physical presence of personnel be ensured in the Agricultural Comarcal Office of Luarca (Valdés) during the month of August.
URA details that in these facilities there was only one active veterinarian left, as the absence of another professional at the end of February was not covered. With the arrival of the holidays of the only available staff member, the office has been left without veterinary service and the livestock farmers are forced to travel to Navia to carry out their procedures.
The agricultural organization indicates that the same problem is repeated in the Agricultural Comarcal Office of Cangas del Narcea, where one of the two assigned veterinarians has been on leave since April without any replacement occurring. When the only operational professional begins their summer break, users in this area will have to go to Tineo to complete the necessary administrative procedures.
From URA, they consider it "incomprehensible" that the Administration has allowed two comarcal offices that serve an important part of western Asturias to be without veterinary attention at the same time. They also emphasize that these technicians take on essential tasks such as managing livestock movements, animal identification, executing health campaigns, or issuing and processing official documentation.
Therefore, URA demands that the Ministry of Rural Affairs adopt "immediate" organizational measures that ensure a minimum of veterinary attention in the network of offices during the summer period and thus avoid greater costs and travel for field professionals.