BSE herd income issue must be addressed
John O'Leary, Beef and Cattle Committee chairperson, calling on Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh to deal with the issue, said the current situation is totally unacceptable as farmers receive absolutely no income support if they lose their herd. "All farmers receive at present is the market value of their cattle. No provision is made for loss of income until normal production recommences," he said..
Mr O'Leary said in the case of TB and Brucellosis in cattle, and scrapie in sheep, farmers receive an income support payment while out of production.
It is unfair that farmers who suffer the loss of their herds as a result of BSE are being treated differently.
"Ireland operates a total slaughter out policy of BSE herds, unlike the approach in Britain, where only affected animals and cohorts are slaughtered. The policy is also different in France where only animals born before January 1, 2002 are removed," he said.
Mr O'Leary said dairy farmers, or any farmer who loses his herd today, is unlikely to get back into production before next February. This means that for some farmers they could have no source of income.
"Farmers who lose their herds as a result of BSE should qualify for a depopulation grant to support them while they are out of production," Mr O'Leary added.
Ireland is heading for a record number of BSE cases this year. Four new cases recorded last week in Mayo, Clare, Galway and Limerick brought the total number for the year to date to 246 the same as was recorded for all of last year, which was also a record.
