Walsh accused of breaking levy deal

ICMSA leader Pat O’Rourke claimed yesterday that a proposal by Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh to introduce a new testing charge for cows being slaughtered runs totally against commitments in the Sustaining Progress agreement.

He said the value for money review, which was to be carried out under the agreement, was to lead to a reduction, not an increase, in the current animal disease levies paid by farmers. Farmers had delivered substantial savings in the area of animal disease, and particularly in BSE, where there will be reduced costs of 55m in 2004.

Mr O’Rourke said it is totally unacceptable to farmers and particularly those selling cows from dairy and suckler herds that they are now facing a new charge of 22 per head from next July.