New package for swine-fever farms
1 November 2000
New package for swine-fever farms
By FWi staff
THE Ministry of Agriculture has accepted proposals to change the amount of compensation paid to farmers in areas affected by swine fever.
Producers within movement restriction areas will receive a maximum of 75/pig, falling to 67/pig after eight weeks, the government has announced.
Agriculture minister Nick Brown unveiled the new scheme at the National Pig Award breakfast in London on Wednesday (01 November).
The scheme will be based on 12 paid per pig plus 55p/kg liveweight.
The government will pay about 80% of funding up to a maximum of 50/pig. The rest of the compensation will be funded by a producer levy.
Consultation on a producer levy will now get under way.
Mick Sloyan, of the British Pig Executive, said a new levy would be introduced, rather than transferring funds from a promotional levy.
The scheme is designed to initially remove the heaviest stock from farms, said Andrew Garvey of the Meat and Livestock Commission.
“Producers will receive the government funded compensation immediately, but will have to wait until the producer levy becomes a statutory instrument before receiving that top up.”
- All-clear for second swine-fever zone, FWi, 30 October, 2000
- Higher levy, and pence-per-kilo slaughter scheme?, FWi 27 October, 2000