More charges for carcass disposal

More charges for carcass disposal

People in Jersey will have to start paying to have the bodies of cattle, horses and some other animals disposed of.

It is part of a "user pays" principle which the States claims will help the agriculture industry.

Under the changes, disposing of cattle at the abattoir will be £30 per animal - a threefold increase. The cost for pigs and sheep is to roughly double.

For the first time people will have to pay to have animals which are not in the food chain, such as horses and donkeys, to be disposed of.

As well as introducing the new charges, the Economic Development Committee, which has responsibility for the island's agriculture and fisheries sectors, is also increasing existing ones.

The charges are coming as part of a States strategy to avoid a £19m budget shortfall next year.

However, Deputy Mike Taylor, chairman of the Agriculture and Fisheries Advisory Board, says the extra costs will save the department money, which can then be used to help farmers.