Proposals for disease cover are dismissed
Proposals for disease cover are dismissed
PROPOSALS to force livestock farmers to insure against disease contained in a government working party report have been dismissed as foolhardy by a leading insurer.
"There should be something in place, but a single annual levy payment would not work, especially given the current situation," says Douglas Brown, director of Northants-based insurer Farmers and Mercantile.
"A compulsory levy is feasible, but it should be more competitive, whereby a small levy is taken from every slaughtered animal across all food species."
Ian Gardiner, NFUs head of policy, says the government is considering options for the longer term. Insurance, whether compulsory or optional, is a possibility.
"But it is obvious that farmers are in very grave trouble unless the government helps out."
But David Handley, chairman of Farmers For Action, has reacted angrily to the idea. "I find it hard to believe that, given that incomes are non-existent, farmers are facing the possibility of yet another levy.
"We are in this situation through no fault of our own, so why should we pay money into a fund when we havent even enough money to retire on."
The working partys report will be submitted to the commission next month. The government has no fixed position on what its preferred outcome will be. *