Farming minister rules out compensation over culled pigs
Victoria Prentis MP has confirmed there will be no compensation provided for pigs culled due to on-farm backlogs caused by the labour crisis.
The Farming Minister was asked a question by Shadow Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner, about what discussions Defra had held regarding a compensation package for pig farmers who had had to cull healthy animals due to capacity restraints at abattoirs.
In her response, Prentis referred to the support measures already in place for the pig sector and said that no funding would be provided.
“The government does not provide financial support for the culling of animals,” she said. “Responsibility for animal welfare on the farm remains with the owner/keeper, who should have contingency plans in place to ensure the welfare of their animals.”
Prentis stated that Defra was working with AHDB to identify new export markets for pork.
“The government will continue to monitor the evolving situation and work closely with the industry through this challenging period,” she said.
The National Pig Association is aware of at least 35,000 reported cases of healthy pigs being culled on-farm, but suggests the true figure is likely to be much higher.
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