£12.5 MILLION FOR DEFRA FMD BLUNDERS IS JUST THE START

The Tenant Farmers Association has welcomed DEFRA’s announcement that it is to make a £12.5 million payment to the industry as a result of the “unusual set of circumstances” which led to the current outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). However, the TFA has also warned the Government that this will just be the beginning.

 

TFA National Chairman Reg Haydon said, “When the Secretary of State, Mr Benn, refers to the unusual set of circumstances within which the current FMD outbreak arose he can only be referring to Government’s poor management of the Pirbright Laboratories site which allowed the FMD virus to leak out in the first place. In this context, £12.5 million in the face of industry losses of up to £10 million per day can only be the beginning of what the Government owes the industry.”

 

Hill farmers will be the biggest recipients with £8.5 million expected to be paid in November. There is however the ongoing issue that the hills are still stocked with lambs many of which should have been exported. There is no realistic market for them and this is causing growing animal welfare and economic hardship.

 

“The Government has correctly identified that it is the hill areas which have been some of the hardest hit through this crisis. A November payment will certainly help with the huge losses and cash flow difficulties that they have suffered. However, what about the ongoing welfare problems? Yesterday in Parliament Mr Benn said that he will not be introducing a Livestock Welfare Disposal Scheme because the NFU and others had not asked for it as a priority. The TFA has been asking for one for weeks and the fact that they are being introduced in Wales and Scotland must surely signal the need for one in England,” said Mr Haydon.

 

DEFRA is also to provide £1 million to the RASE Arthur Rank Centre for distribution to the Farming Help Charities and £2 million to EBLEX for marketing of beef, pork and lamb.

 

“The Farming Help Charities do a fantastic job and the TFA works closely with all of them. I am very pleased that this has been recognised by DEFRA. However, I am concerned that the money earmarked for promotion should not be frittered away on gimmicky television adverts which do little to help the farmers’ bottom line” said Mr Haydon.