FARMERS ACQUIRE BARNSLEY BUSINESS

Farmer owned Countryside Services Ltd has acquired the livestock identification business of South Yorkshire based Earlsmere ID. Systems

Earlsmere Ltd will continue to trade in its core business areas of identification including bar code systems, labels and its vibration measurement and control systems. The livestock identification business will remain as a tenant in the Earlsmere facility on Station Road Industrial Estate, Wombwell, Barnsley..

This innovative division of the business has been supplying ear tags for cattle, sheep, pigs and goats since 1996. New owner Countryside Services Ltd, a leading supplier of ear tags and electronic identification products to the UK agricultural industry, was founded in 1998 by the Ulster Farmers' Union.

Commenting on the purchase David Mark, managing director at Countryside Services, said that, "This further enhances our ability to provide a prompt, cost effective service to farmers nationwide with the increasing volume of ear tags manufactured and marketed helping stabilise prices.

"Ear tags bearing herd or flock identification details and an animal's individual number as required under EU and UK legislation are supplied in response to orders by telephone or from our increasingly busy website.
"Invariably new or replacement ear tags are needed at very short notice so Countryside Earlsmere staff, themselves from farming families, strive to provide a speedy service.
"That a business owned by a British farmers' union is expanding and becoming a key national player in the livestock identification market worth over £10 million per annum illustrates how innovation, value and service grows market share.
"The acquisition is good news for UK farmers and for staff as costs will be controlled and prospects for expansion enhanced as additional EU proposals on sheep identification become law."

Jim White Managing Director of Earlsmere commented. The sale of our animal ID division allows us to concentrate on our core business sectors.

More information can be found on or web site www.earlsmere.co.uk

Ear Tags with high retention rates are available at www.countrysideservices.com or on the dedicated Countryside Earlsmere hotline 0845 0700 238.

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