£12.5m to help outbreak-hit farmers

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said £12.5 million was being made available for farmers in England to help ease the financial difficulties they face in the wake of the outbreak. Foot-and-mouth disease is costing farmers in the region of £250 million in lost exports and lower meat prices, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) estimates.

Mr Benn said the financial package of assistance will include £8.5 million in the form of a one-off payment for hill farmers. Another £1 million will be made available to raise the level of subsidy for the National Fallen Stock Scheme for farmers in the foot-and-mouth risk area from 10% to 100%. Up to £1 million will also be handed out to farming charities which provide advice as well as practical and emotional support to farming families.

Mr Benn said the package would also include £2 million for the promotion and marketing of lamb, beef and pork both for the domestic and export market. Last week TV chef Jamie Oliver called on shoppers to buy British lamb to help farmers financially survive the animal disease outbreaks.

Mr Benn said: "The measures we have taken to date to ease restrictions in the low-risk area through farm-to-farm movements and the reopening of markets have relieved some of the problems faced by farmers, and the resumption of exports of meat from parts of the country will assist further.

"I have announced this help worth £12.5m to further alleviate the difficulties faced by the industry.

"This outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been a tremendous blow to farming, especially as it has happened at the time of year when the majority of livestock farmers need to move their animals to generate income.

"The impact of this outbreak on the farming community has been significant and we have listened to the views of the industry in taking these and other steps to alleviate the economic and welfare pressures they face."

Mr Benn also outlined a series of measures to relieve the burden of red tape on farmers affected.

The package of measures comes after animal health officials last week gave the go-ahead for livestock markets to resume in some parts of the UK not considered to be at risk of foot and mouth disease or bluetongue. However farmers inside the risk areas in the south-east of England are still unable to take their animals to market.