UK: MPs call for change in avian influenza compensation rules
The UK is currently experiencing its largest and longest-ever outbreak of avian influenza. The risk of disease outbreak, on top of rising input costs continues to bring increased uncertainty for poultry producers, affecting the financial viability of the sector and having a profound effect on farmers’ mental health.
The MPs have written to the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey MP, saying the current compensation regime is fundamentally unfair as compensation is only paid for healthy birds that are culled. However, due to the highly pathogenic nature of this strain of the virus, a large number of birds die between identification of the virus and the affected flock being culled. This means that the level of compensation received depends on how quickly the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) can arrive to undertake the cull, with those at the back of the queue being much less likely to receive a fair level of compensation. This can have a particular impact on smaller producers who keep birds in a single location and can lose their entire flock during an outbreak.
The letter also asked for details on what the government was doing to develop a vaccine against the disease. Vaccination of poultry and most captive birds for avian influenza is not currently permitted in the UK and currently many countries will not allow the import of meat from animals that have been vaccinated for avian influenza. Therefore, the MPs also asked, what support the Government is providing for the development of a vaccine, and what work Defra is doing to address the regulatory and trade barriers that might stop the roll-out of any vaccine that is developed.
