Union to fight valuation appeal limit

12 September 2001



Union to fight valuation appeal limit

By FWi staff

THE NFUs legal department is trying to build a case against the 14-day time limit placed on farmers wishing to appeal against foot-and-mouth livestock valuations.

The union believes that farmers may not have been made aware of the two-week deadline, particularly during the early days of the epidemic.

Its legal team wants farmers who have had appeals rejected because they fell outside the time limit to contact them with their details.

Colin Hall, chief legal adviser at the NFU, said there had been confusion caused by changes to the order governing the valuation process.

This combined with the emotional upheaval caused to farmers who had their animals slaughtered supported the case that the application period was too short.

NFU deputy president Tim Bennett said it was suspected farmers had lost out because they were unaware an appeals system was in place.

“It is vital that businesses are awarded sufficient compensation if we are to keep the losses of farms to this disease to a minimum,” he said.

NFU members who believe they have a genuine case because of the deadline can contact the NFU legal department on 020 7331 7366.