October 10, 2007

UK disburses US$25.5 million to farmers affected by FMD

The British secretary of state for the environment, Hilary Benn, has announced a package of support, worth GBP 12.5 million  (US$25.5 million) to farmers in England affected by the current movement restrictions in place to control Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD).

The scheme would disburse GBP 8.5 million (US$17.33 million) in the form of a one-off payment for farmers.

GBP 1 million (US$2.03 million) would be used to raise the level of subsidy for the national fallen stock scheme for farmers in the FMD risk area from 10 percent to 100 percent.

GBP 2 million (US$4.08 million) would be used for promotion and marketing of lamb, beef and pork both domestically and in export markets while GBP 1 million (US$2.03 million) would be given to the Arthur Rank Centre for disbursement to farming charities, which provide advice and emotional support to farming families.

Hilary Benn also outlined measures to relieve the burden of red tape on farmers affected, such as an EU exemption for grassland farmers applying above the annual nitrogen application limit of 170 kg/ha.

Failure to meet cross compliance and agri-environment scheme requirements would no longer be regarded as a breach by Natural England and the Rural Payments Agency, if these are directly due to Foot-and-Mouth Disease.

Another measure encourages the public sector to increase opportunities for small and local producers to tender for public sector business.

Benn said the measures taken to date would ease restrictions in the low risk area (virtually all of England except the south) through farm to farm movements and the reopening of market. Meanwhile resumption of meat exports from parts of the country would assist them further, he added.