ICSA say TB compensation must rise for Longford farmers to reflect real value of stock

ICSA Animal Health and Welfare chair John Barron has said that an urgent increase in the upper caps on compensation under the TB Eradication Programme must form part of any revised TB strategy.

“Too many farmers are losing out because the market value of their stock far exceeds the current outdated caps. It is unacceptable that farmers should be left to carry major losses when it comes to the valuations of their stock,” he said.

Mr Barron said ICSA has been clear that the cap on valuations must be increased - from €3,000 to €5,000 for commercial animals, and from €5,000 to €7,000 for pedigree animals.

“These caps have not kept pace with reality. Farmers with top-quality breeding stock are not getting anything near their true value back, leaving them unfairly out of pocket and their farming enterprises in real trouble,” he said.

“While we are still awaiting the Minister’s final TB strategy, the Department had promised to engage with farming organisations on compensation caps as far back as February.

However, this problem is only getting worse with every month that goes by, and whenever the plan is finally unveiled it must include an increase to these caps, backdated to February, so that farmers are not left worse off.”

Mr Barron said also that supplementary compensation supports, such as the Hardship Grant and Income Supplement, must be revised upwards.

“Inflation has severely eroded the value of these payments, and the current rates do not adequately protect farmers from the real financial losses suffered during a TB breakdown.”

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