Burt Backs Local Farmers In Campaign Against Government's New Disease Control "Cost Sharing" Bill
July 21, 2009 11:05 AM
Alarm has been raised at the Government's intention to force through the Animal Health Responsibility and Cost Sharing Bill by June 2010.
Local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Richard Burt said: "Understandably the National Farmers' Union is opposed to Government plans that will force farmers to pay half of Defra's costs. The feeling is that farmers should not pay for the Government's failed disease contagion control regime.
"The Government wouldn't ask communities affected by swine flu to pay to cover the cost, so it's completely unfair that farmers are being forced to pick up the tab.
'I'm amazed that Gordon Brown has the audacity to even suggest that live stock farmers should pay these increased costs, especially since the 2007 foot and mouth disease outbreak clearly came from a Government licensed premises. Everyone in farming understands the need to protect public health, but in the current economic climate there can be no justification for shifting the cost to hard pressed livestock farmers.
"This move will be particularly unwelcome in Worcestershire where Bovine TB remains a continuing problem. The Government simply cannot pull the rug from beneath our farmers and walk away."
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