Vote against valuation tables welcomed

NFU Cymru has welcomed today's vote by the Welsh Assembly not to introduce valuation tables for animals affected by bovine TB, following extensive lobbying by the Union of opposition party leaders and agriculture spokespeople in the run-up to this afternoon's decision.

Dai Davies, President of NFU Cymru said, "It is pleasing to see that the majority of Welsh Assembly Members voting saw sense on this issue. Welsh farmers whose herds are affected by TB do not want compensation, what they want if you were to ask them, would be for the disease to be eradicated. Compensation shouldn't be the issue, it would become unnecessary if government addressed the fundamental issue of stopping the spread and eradicating the disease."

The Welsh Assembly marginally voted against the motion to introduce valuation tables as the vote was deadlocked it had to be decided by the Presiding Officer.

The valuation system for animals affected by bovine TB will remain the same for the time being, in that a professional independent valuer will put a value on the animal rather than being dictated to by an un-representative and non-negotiable valuation table which was set by the average market price.

Dai Davies concluded, "Valuation tables based on averages are not representative of the value of the animal, as they over compensate poor quality stock and undervalue good quality stock. Now I hope the Welsh Assembly will put all their efforts into eradicating this business- crippling disease which continues to spiral out of control across Wales."