ICSA Animal Health and Welfare chair John Barron has said the increase in compensation for animals testing positive for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) announced by Minister Martin Heydon is welcome but is years overdue and falls well short of what is required to reflect the true financial losses faced by suckler farmers. “The increase in support for beef-breed animals from €220 to €320 is a step in the right direction, but the compensation levels have remained unchanged for many years and should have been addressed much earlier,” he said.

Continuing, Mr Barron said, “Five or six years ago, when ICSA began looking for an increase in BVD compensation, a change of this scale might have made a meaningful difference. At today’s market values, however, the revised payment barely touches the sides of what is needed.”

He said compensation levels would need to be at least double the updated rates to come anywhere close to reflecting the true market value of affected animals. “For suckler farmers in particular, the impact goes well beyond the loss of a calf. When a calf tests positive for BVD, the farmer effectively loses the production of that cow for the entire year. That is a major financial hit in a system where margins are already extremely tight.”

“The eradication programme has required huge commitment from farmers and that commitment should be recognised through compensation that realistically reflects the cost of the losses involved. This underlines the need for the Department to keep support schemes under regular review, so they remain aligned with the real economic impact on farmers.”

Concluding, Mr Barron said ICSA will continue to engage with the Department to ensure that supports are fair and proportionate for suckler and beef farmers affected by BVD.

ENDS