First victims could lose out on compensation
First victims could lose out on compensation
EARLY victims of foot-and-mouth disease could lose out when it comes to compensation, says Jim Evans, who set the levels paid to many farmers during the 1967/68 epidemic.
"Valuers like myself tried to do the fairest possible job then, but our assessments were overtaken by the scale of the outbreak," claims Mr Evans. "There were so many cases that, by the time farmers were ready to restock, demand had pushed up replacement prices way above early compensation levels."
This, coupled with lost production income, made it difficult for producers to buy the number of animals they needed. Given the recent plunge in farm income levels, a prolonged epidemic could mean that some units might never restock without retrospective adjustments in early valuations, and consequential loss payments.
"Going down to foot-and-mouth has a devastating effect on farmers and their families anyway," says Mr Evans, a senior partner in mid-Wales auctioneers Morris Marshall and Poole.
"I will never forget standing on the yard of a beef and sheep farm on Christmas Day 1967 valuing the stock, while slaughtermen waited to do their job and the tearful family watched from a farmhouse window. Farmers deserve all the help the government is able to give them."
Mr Evans, who acts as a consultant to the consortium that runs Europes biggest sheep market at Welshpool, is also deeply concerned about the impact of prolonged closure on livestock auctions.
"We were closed down from Oct 30, 1967, to Feb 12 the next year. After several difficult years, few markets could now afford to be shut for such a long time."
On Monday Welshpool Livestock Sales had lost commission on the sale of over 5000 prime lambs, around 300 finished and store cattle and over 1000 store lambs.