Cost-sharing: DEFRA proposes animal health tax
Livestock farmers could have to pay an animal health levy and take out insurance against future disease outbreaks, DEFRA secretary Hilary Benn has proposed.
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Mr Benn made the proposals as part of the long-awaited Responsibility and Cost Sharing consultation which will run until 30 June 2009.
The annual levy would be paid from 2012 at the earliest date and cover the cost of disease surveillance, Mr Benn said.
The suggested levy cost per head is:
- 9p/sheep
- 82p/pig
- 4p/bird
- £2.50/cattle.
From that date livestock farmers would also have to take out insurance. The insurance would then pay half the cost of a disease outbreak. The remaining costs would be paid by the government.
Also in the proposals was the establishment of an independent board which would take decisions on animal health in future.
The board will be responsible for dealing with exotic disease outbreaks such as bluetongue, policy on endemic diseases such as bovine TB, advising on the payment rates for animals culled as part of disease control and controlling animal diseases which pose a threat to public health.
The board would be made up of members who had knowledge, experience and skills in the livestock industry, animal health science and welfare and relevant public health, consumer and wildlife issues, Mr Benn said.
In a disease outbreak, key decisions such as movement controls would be made by the chairman and chief executive of the new organisation, on the advice of the Chief Veterinary Officer.
Mr Benn added: “Livestock owners are worst affected by disease outbreaks, and they also benefit from disease control, where their livestock might otherwise become infected.
“It’s right that they should be more involved in making decisions about how we prevent and handle those diseases, and contribute to the costs of collective action to tackle disease threats.
“This new way of tackling animal disease, which builds on how Government and the industry have worked together to deal with bluetongue, will mean that everyone’s investment in disease control is more effectively and efficiently used.”
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