Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to provide additional (a) financial and (b) social support to poultry farmers affected by Avian Flu quarantine measures.

We recognize that avian influenza outbreaks are very distressing for the individual poultry farmers and businesses who are on the frontline of this terrible disease.

Compensation is paid for any healthy birds culled by the Government for avian influenza disease control purposes. In response to the unprecedented outbreaks of avian influenza in October 2022 Defra’s approach to compensation was updated to involve earlier assessment of the number of healthy birds and swifter calculation of compensation. This allows Defra to provide earlier certainty about entitlement to compensation; better reflects the impact of outbreaks on premises; and leads to swifter payments to help stem any cash flow pressures.

Any bird keepers whose premises are directly affected by avian influenza will receive support from the Animal and Plant Health Agency. In addition, there are numerous support networks that poultry farmers can contact for help including the rural services helpline. Defra also work in partnership with Farming Help organisations to support their work to help the farming community through challenging times.

In addition, a range of grants have been made available to poultry keepers through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway to improve biosecurity on premises and support the welfare of birds.