Farmers to support carcass scheme

Carcasses cannot be buried on farms under new laws

Farmers in Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been warned they may have to pay the full cost of disposing animal carcasses if they do not sign up to a new government scheme.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) scheme allows farmers to pay a subsidised rate for disposing carcasses which cannot be buried on farms under new laws.

Defra needs responses from 50% of farmers by 28 May for the scheme to become a reality.

But the NFU says a low response level from farmers could mean the Defra target will not be met.

Three-tier system

NFU Deputy President, Tim Bennett , said: "Only 30% of farmers have pledged support.

"At this rate, the target won't be met and the scheme won't get off the ground."

He added: "Let's be clear, if this scheme fails to generate the required support, farmers will be faced with the full commercial cost of disposing of animal carcasses."

The scheme is Defra's response to the EU Animal By-products Regulation, which made the on-farm burial of animal carcasses illegal from 1 May.

Under the proposed subscription scheme, there will be a three-tier payment system with small holdings paying £50 per year, medium sized farms paying £100 per year and large farms £200.

Mr Bennett said he was astounded that a scheme that would contain the cost of complying with the regulation was on the rocks.

"Defra is effectively offering to heavily subsidise farmers to comply with the new laws but has made it clear that the offer won't be on the table for long if producers aren't interested," he said.