LIVESTOCK farmers could be graded according to biosecurity standards, with those considered to pose the greatest risk forced to pay more under Defra plans to shift more of the cost of disease control on to the industry.
The department unveiled its consultation into cost and responsibility sharing for animal disease control on Tuesday, despite strong opposition from the industry, voiced in a statement last week by 29 UK organisations.
The consultation document contains some specific proposals for shifting the costs of BSE controls on to the industry. These would see abattoirs bearing at least some Meat Hygiene Service costs related to BSE controls and paying for BSE tests on over-30-month cattle entering the food chain.
Farmers will bear some of the costs associated with testing and disposing of over-24 months fallen adult cattle and with the National Scrapie Plan.
Beyond that the consultation looks at the principles of how the funding for animal health and welfare policy could be shared between Government and the industry on a much wider level, in the context of new legislation planned for 2009.