June 22, 2006

EU to support poultry producers hurt by bird flu

The European Commission said Wednesday (Jun 21) it will allocate between EUR50 million and EUR65 million to support EU poultry farmers hit by the bird flu virus.

Measures covered by the funding are those that will temporarily reduce production, such as the destruction of hatching eggs, the destruction of chicks and the early slaughter of some of the breeding flock.

Only 50 percent of any measures taken by farmers will be financed by the EU.

Mariann Fischer Boel, EU commissioner for agriculture, said: "The dramatic decline in poultry consumption and prices earlier this year was an extraordinary situation which required extraordinary measures."