Green light for swine fever levy
26 January 2001
Green light for swine fever levy
By Alistair Driver
PIG farmers hit by swine fever controls are set to receive 4 million from producers across Britain under a scheme approved by the Meat and Livestock Commission.
MLC commissioners approved the scheme on Thursday (25 January).
They will now recommend new legislation to enable 20p a pig to be collected through a statutory levy on all pigs slaughtered in Britain.
The levy, which would be administered through the Pig Industry Development Scheme (PIDS), still has to be approved by the government.
But it could still be in place by the end of February or early March, according to National Pig Association producer group chairman Stewart Houston.
He said the responses to an industry consultation on the levy considered by the commissioners were largely favourable.
The money will add to MAFF payments for East Anglian farmers who entered pigs into the welfare slaughter scheme to relieve over-crowding on farms.
It is expected it will take two years to raise the 4m from the levy.
But the NPA hopes ministers will lend money immediately to help pig producers. The government would be paid back the money as it is collected.
After two years, once the 4m has been raised for the swine fever payments, the fund may then be used to deal with other disease problems.
The NPA supported the idea of scheme despite concern from some other farmers that an industry levy would let the government off the hook.
“The governments legal obligations on covering the cost of disease are unaffected,” claimed Mr Houston.