Brussels nod for 154m agrimoney

By FWi staff

AGRIMONETARY compensation, worth almost 154 million, should soon be on its way to farmers, after formal approval of the aid package in Brussels this week.

“This aid is aimed at compensating livestock farmers for losses stemming from currency fluctuations,” said EU farm commissioner Franz Fischler.

“But it will also provide some relief for UK farmers facing serious problems as a result of foot-and-mouth disease.”

Exact details on how much individuals will get were not available from the ministry of agriculture this week.

But recent estimates by the NFU suggest there will be an extra 12/head on suckler cow premium and 9 a head on beef special premium.

Sheep producers should get about 70p a head on ewe premium, while dairymen can expect a 0.5p/litre top-up on their milk quotas.

Payments should go out later this month or in May, in line with last year for sheep, but considerably earlier for beef and dairy.