Brown rules out swine fever money

18 August 2000



Brown rules out swine fever money

by Donald MacPhail

BRITISH pig producers unable to sell healthy livestock because of the swine fever crisis will not be compensated, according to agriculture minister Nick Brown.

At a meeting with industry leaders on Friday (18 Aug), Mr Brown ruled out compensation for farmers whose pig units fall within swine fever surveillance areas

Pig producers whose farms are within such areas are banned from moving livestock. Many farmers have warned that they are losing thousands of pounds.

Even if the restrictions are lifted, European rules mean that meat from the livestock must be heat-treated a market which offers little scope, they say.

But Mr Brown said farmers with healthy herds in restricted areas must accept the situation as “a business risk” even though are compensated.

Speaking after the meeting he said: “Compensation never has been meant to cover all the costs that result from the effect of a disease outbreak.

“It reflects the value of the stock that is compulsorily slaughtered.

“I know that many farmers face real financial problems because they are unable to move pigs off their holdings but that is a business risk for which compensation arrangements were not designed.”