asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has reviewed the scale of grants payable to farmers whose animals are slaughtered due to outbreaks of bovine disease in their herds; and if he will outline the current scale of payments and any proposed change in order that the extreme hardship which is currently being experienced by many families can be reduced, especially with lightweight cattle.
Written Answers. - Reactor Grants.
32.
I have adopted a recommendation from ERAD for a revised system of grants payable on reactors identified as and from 1 February 1989.
The revised grant system covers: (a) substantial increases (up to £155) for lightweight animals, with marginal increases (£10) for cows and in-calf heifers; (b) increased supplement (£100) for full pedigree animals; (c) a movement away from the current flat rate of depopulation/stock replacement grant to a system of payment related to the type of animal, farm enterprise and duration of the rest period, as specified by ERAD, for the holding.
I am confident that these increases will ensure that the livelihood of farmers threatened by disease outbreak is secure. Details of the current grants and the revised grant structure will be circulated in the Official Report.
Current Grants
|
Reactor Grants |
Bovine TB |
Brucellosis |
||
|
Non-Pedigree |
Pedigree |
Non-Pedigree |
Pedigree |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
(a) Cows, in-calf heifers and licensed bulls |
250 |
310 |
200 |
250 |
|
(b) Feeder Cows |
— |
— |
40 |
— |
|
(c) Maiden Heifers |
||||
|
Under 182 kgs |
235 |
275 |
195 |
230 |
|
182-190 kgs |
170 |
210 |
160 |
200 |
|
191 kgs and over |
85 |
125 |
75 |
115 |
|
(d) Steers |
||||
|
Under 182 kgs |
235 |
275 |
||
|
182-225 kgs |
170 |
210 |
||
|
226 kgs and over |
85 |
125 |
||
|
Depopulation Grant |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
|
Stock Replacement Grant |
50 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
Revised Grants (From 1 February 1989)
|
Reactor Grants |
Bovine TB |
Brucellosis |
||
|
Non-Pedigree |
Pedigree |
Non-Pedigree |
Pedigree |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
(a) Cows, in-calf heifers |
260 |
360 |
210 |
310 |
|
(b) Feeder Cows |
50 |
— |
20 |
— |
|
(c) Maiden Heifers |
||||
|
Under 200 kgs |
240 |
340 |
210 |
310 |
|
201-250 kgs |
180 |
280 |
140 |
240 |
|
251-300 kgs |
120 |
220 |
80 |
180 |
|
301 kgs and over |
60 |
160 |
20 |
120 |
|
(d) Pedigree Bulls |
— |
400 |
— |
320 |
|
(e) Steers and non-pedigree bulls |
||||
|
Under 200 kgs |
280 |
|||
|
201-250 kgs |
220 |
|||
|
251-300 kgs |
150 |
|||
|
301 kgs and over |
90 |
|||
|
Depopulation Grants |
||||
|
Dairy Cows/Pedigree Bulls |
£45 per month of rest period |
|||
|
Suckler Cows |
£15 per month of rest period |
|||
|
Heifers (including calves) |
£10 per month of rest period |
|||
|
Steers (including calves) |
£10 per month of rest period |