A £4m support package for Northern Ireland livestock farmers to remove animals infected by Bovine virus diarrhea (BVD) will come into operation within weeks, agriculture minister Michelle McIlveen has announced.
The package is provided under EU exceptional adjustment aid.
The Minister said: "The EAA package includes a scheme to incentivise the humane removal of BVD infected animals, as well as schemes to improve pig meat quality, manage soils and nutrients more effectively, and receive training in business planning and risk management.
"The required regulations were made and laid in the Assembly on 16 January 2017 and will come into operation on 1 February 2017. My Department plans to open the BVD incentivisation scheme as soon as possible after that date."
To be eligible for payment herd keepers must ensure that each animal meets certain criteria including not being moved from the farm on which it was born and been humanely destroyed.
DAERA is keen to emphasise that Herd Keepers are responsible for ensuring the death of the animal is confirmed via APHIS-on-line or by MC1 submitted to DAERA. The Department would also remind Herd Keepers that they should not assume that the death will be recorded by the disposal agent or rendering plant.
The rate of financial assistance which will be available is:
£160 for a beef calf;
£130 for a dairy heifer calf;
£50 for a dairy male calf.
