Scottish government releases £500k for dead stock
The Scottish government has made £500,000 available to help farmers meet the costs of disposing of livestock killed in the severe weather.
Over the past few days, farmers across the UK have suffered the heartache of digging thousands of dead sheep and cattle out of snowdrifts 20ft deep in some areas.
Announcing details of the subsidies for fallen stock, Scottish rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead said farmers in Scotland had incurred significant losses.
“I know this is deeply distressing for farmers to see so many animals suffering and dying, particularly during the lambing season which is normally a season of birth not death,” he added.
“These farmers will undoubtedly incur additional costs to dispose of the carcasses which is why we have made support available. We are determined to provide what help and support we can and we will continue to assess what is needed in coming days and weeks.”
Details of the scheme are still being finalised but it will work on similar principles to 2010. The amount payable per animal will depend on the number of casualties.
To take advantage of the compensation scheme, farmers need to be members of the Fallen Stock Company and have their animals collected by a firm that is also a member.
NFU Scotland welcomed the government help for farmers to dispose of sheep, lambs and calves that perished in the snow, but said a wider financial package may be needed.
For example, a £5m rescue package has been announced for farmers in Northern Ireland who have lost livestock in the blizzards.
Wales’ agriculture minister Alun Davies said addressing the impact of snow on farmers was an “urgent priority”.
Mr Davies said on Saturday (30 March) he had asked Wales’ chief veterinary officer Christianne Glossop to look at what the Welsh government can do to alleviate the pressures farmers are facing as a result of livestock losses.
“One of the most pressing issues farmers have told me they are now facing is how to deal with fallen stock,” he said.
The minister will make a further statement on his plans on Tuesday (2 April).
The Welsh government said disposal of fallen stock must comply with the European regulation on animal by-products and any fallen stock must be disposed of to approved premises without undue delay. Carcasses should be kept secure until disposal.
But the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) called on the Welsh government to introduce emergency aid and a derogation to allow snow-hit farmers to bury fallen stock or have carcasses collected for free.
“We have a ridiculous situation whereby it is illegal under EU Regulations to bury animals, and have to pay for them to be removed and disposed of,” said FUW president Emyr Jones, who farms in Bala, North Wales.
“We have a ridiculous situation whereby it is illegal under EU Regulations to bury animals, and have to pay for them to be removed and disposed of.”
Emyr Jones, FUW president
“However, a derogation is available in exceptional circumstances, and we desperately need this to be applied.”
The NFU called for “urgent assistance” on fallen stock and said the government and landlords must support struggling livestock farmers who were at risk of going out of business.
NFU director general Andy Robertson said: “It is bad enough to lose stock but it adds insult to injury to then have to pay large sums to have them removed.
“There is scope for such costs to be minimised under the Fallen Stock Scheme and I have asked the minister (David Heath) to ensure that there is clear direction to make full use of this.
“We will also be approaching major landlords to ask for flexibility on payment deadlines and rent rises for farmers caught up in the devastating weather.”
The Met Office said this March was the coldest since 1962 with an average UK temperature of 2.5C. Forecasters say the cold spell could last until mid-April.