NFU restates opposition to cost sharing

Farm leaders have restated their opposition to funding the cost of keeping exotic animal diseases out of the country.

The NFU‘s official response to a government consultation on the issue was outlined during a union council meeting on Tuesday (30 June).

NFU head of food and farming Kevin Pearce said: “We remain fundamentally opposed to sharing government costs for exotic disease.”

Plans to impose a levy on farmers to share 50% of DEFRA‘s (pdf) budgeted costs for exotic disease preparedness and surveillance were unacceptable.

It was equally wrong to force farmers to take out insurance to cover a share of DEFRA’s unbudgeted costs for an exotic disease outbreak.

Mr Pearce said: “Exotic diseases are not in this country and have to get into the country and the government has a responsibility to monitor them.”

Retailers and food processors also benefited from exotic disease measures, so it was unfair for farmers alone to bear the cost of keeping them out of the country.

“This is a public good – it is for the whole of the food chain.”

Mr Pearce described cost estimates contained in the consultation document as “a load of figures chucked in a bucket”.

The NFU had asked DEFRA to clarify its plans, but had been left none the wiser despite lengthy discussions with senior civil servants.

Mr Pearce said the NFU had refused to provide alternatives to cost sharing.

But it was willing to work with DEFRA to identify cost-savings and reorganisation of animal health and welfare delivery.

The NFU did, however, support proposals to establish a new independent body for animal health, Mr Pearce told delegates.

But it was vital that this body was fully independent, such as a non-ministerial department with a fully independent board.

“We fully support a new body, provided it is as independent as possible and industry has a genuine say.”

The industry must be allowed to choose the people it wanted to represent livestock producers, rather than having board members being imposed by the government.

Mr Pearce said the NFU believed the new body should be outside London to cut costs.

The government should also consider joining the body with the animal health agency and widening its remit to include animal welfare issues.

“It is very difficult to see an animal health body that doesn’t include welfare.”

But equine issues should be excluded from the new body, said Mr Pearce.

Including horse-related matters would impede the effectiveness of the organisation and reduce its ability to react quickly to animal health issues.