To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce a support package for the farming and agriculture sector if a mass farm animal cull is required.
Answered on
15 November 2021
There are no plans for a support package to support a mass farm cull.
We are continuing to work closely with the industry, particularly the poultry and pig sectors, to help them address the challenges they have recently been facing. In the poultry sector we have made available 5500 visas for poultry workers. In the pig sector, we announced a package of measures to reduce the animal welfare implications of pigs backing up on farms. These include the approval of up to 800 visas for pork butchers; a private storage aid and Slaughter Incentive Payment schemes to increase the throughput of pigs through processors; and support, together with AHDB, to identify new export markets for pork, particularly lightly processed pork. Furthermore, in England and Scotland, the two meat levy bodies have introduced a suspension on the statutory levy for pig farmers and producers during November 2021 – suspending payments of the levy pig farmers and producers are required to pay. This will amount to savings for the sector of just under £1 million. The Government will continue to monitor the evolving situation in these and other sectors and work closely with the industry through this challenging period.