Bluetongue Virus in Livestock
Debate between Ben Maguire and Stephen Morgan(3 weeks, 4 days ago)
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Stephen Morgan
I met NFU Scotland on my visit to Aberdeenshire in August. I will write to the right hon. Member on the specific actions he describes and will ensure that he receives a robust response.
Ben Maguire (North Cornwall) (LD)
My North Cornwall farmers have had the summer from hell. Bluetongue virus has decimated their herds, and that is on top of a crushing drought. One farmer has told me that he has lost 40 of his sheep to bluetongue, with no vaccine available when he needed it most. Seeing their animals suffer is hard enough without the huge associated costs of disposing of fallen livestock, compounded by the financial loss of the animals themselves. Will the Minister back my call in my letter to him back on 3 August, and supported by the NFU, for urgent financial assistance for farmers facing these extraordinary disposal costs?
Stephen Morgan
As I have mentioned, DEFRA is considering a whole range of options to support the farming community, including supporting vaccination availability and expanding testing capacity. We will continue to evaluate measures including the possibility of financial support. We do recognise that this is an incredibly challenging time for those in the livestock community, and we will do what we can to support them.