Carcass Collection Scheme Touch and Go
Early indications suggest enough farmers will join the carcass collection scheme to make it a success after on-farm burials are banned.
At least 50% of producers must sign up to the scheme, which will cut the cost of carcass disposal, for it to be viable.
A poll on Farmers Weekly Interactive suggests that this will be achieved – although it could be touch and go. Of 141 farmers who voted on the first day of the poll, 57% said they would pay £100 a year to have dead stock collected. But the results also show that one in three producers would not join and 13% had yet to make up their minds.
Letters are being sent to 111,000 livestock farms across the UK asking if they wish to register an interest in joining the voluntary scheme.
The mail-shot comes as animal health minister Elliot Morley wrote a 900-word letter to Farmers Weekly defending his handling of the burial ban implementation.
In the letter to Farmers Weekly, Mr Morley said the government was "not obliged" to pay for the collection scheme. It was doing so because it was "keen to help farmers wherever possible and reduce their costs".
Burials will be banned from 1 May. But the launch of the scheme is months away. In the meantime, farmers will have to make other disposal arrangements.
Mr Morley said the government would act in a reasonable manner when enforcing the burial ban, especially before the scheme is up and running.
"We recognise that in upland regions in bad weather conditions, farmers have difficulty tracing every animal. We understand."
Farmers could also use renderers, incinerators, or hunt kennels to dispose of carcasses, said Mr Morley. But the collection scheme was a bargain because its costs were lower. However, it will be launched only if more than 50% of farmers pay an annual fee.
An average-sized farm will pay an annual fee of £100. Small holdings with fewer than 20 cattle, 100 sheep or 100 pigs, will pay £50. Large holdings with more than 200 cattle, 1000 sheep and 1000 pigs will pay £200.
The government will give up to £10m to the scheme this year. Fees will initially stay the same whether 50% or 100% of farmers sign up. But they could then rise as the government cuts its funding contribution in years two and three.
John Thorley, Chief Executive of the National Sheep Association warned that there are concerns about the risk of disease transfer from livestock to humans through inadequate biosecurity. "There is a risk of conditions, such as enzootic abortion, being transferred from sheep to humans if infected carcasses are handled without due attention paid to appropriate biosecurity measures. On a practical note, John Thorley suggests using sealed bins to store carcasses awaiting collection. This may reduce the risk of disease spread, as will vehicle disinfection and ensuring adequate biosecurity measures are practised by collection staff. "Anyone unhappy with the precautions exercised by collection agents should refuse them entry, there is no greater risk of disease transfer than transporting diseased animals," he adds.
There will be no transitional period between May 1 and when the national scheme becomes operational but Defra have promised to apply a "light touch".
They point out that a national scheme is being proposed in order to reduce the cost of collecting and disposal of fallen stock and to encourage compliance. However, they argue there exists an infra-structure of knackers' yards and renderers throughout the country which farmers can use to comply with the new rules immediately.
At the end of the day, argue Defra, all industries are responsible for disposing of their own waste and farming is no exception. If the industry signs up to this government subsidised voluntary scheme it will help maintain public confidence in its ability to dispose of its waste in a safe and sustainable manner.
Local authorities, usually Trading Standards, who currently enforce the Animal By-Products Order 1999, will be the enforcement authority for the EU Animal By-Products Regulation (which includes the on-farm burial ban).
Both the animal By-Products Order 1999 and the EU Animal By-Products Regulation require the keeping of records of any carcases that are sent off-farm for disposal elsewhere. Enforcement authorities will check that such records exist and the number of carcases disposed of. Inspections will also be made of on farm incinerators to check that they comply with the standards required in the Regulation.
Check the number
A government scheme helpline (0845 8507070) is due to be operational by 1 May.
Some recipients may see a helpline number that starts 0849. This should be 08459.
