BVD Removal Scheme to close on 30 September 2017

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs today confirmed that an incentivisation scheme aimed at the removal of animals persistently infected by BVD will close on 30 September 2017.

The scheme, which formed part of a £4million package of support for local livestock farmers provided under EU Exceptional Adjustment Aid (EAA), opened in February 2017. 

As the funding available under the EAA package will terminate at the end of September, the department urges herd keepers to make any outstanding claims for eligible animals to the Livestock and Meat Commission as soon as possible. 

To be eligible for payment under this scheme, the death of the animal must be recorded on APHIS or MC1 stamped by DAERA by 30 September 2017. 

Claims must also be submitted to LMC within two weeks of the death of the animal being recorded.

The rate of financial assistance available is:

• £160 for a beef calf
• £130 for a dairy heifer calf, and
• £50 for a dairy male calf

To be eligible for payment herd keepers must have fully complied with the requirements of the BVD Eradication Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 and ensure that each animal meets the following criteria - ie that it has;

• notification of its birth recorded on APHIS in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Cattle Identification (notification of Birth, Deaths and Movements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999
• tested positive for the presence of BVD virus
• not been moved from the farm on which it was born
• been humanely destroyed, and
• its death confirmed on APHIS within four weeks of receiving a positive BVD test result.  An additional two weeks will be allowed where an applicant elects for repeat analysis of an initial positive result

Only animals which meet these requirements on or after 1 February 2017 will be eligible for payment.

DAERA is keen to emphasise that herd keepers are responsible for ensuring the death of the animal is confirmed via APHIS-on-line or by MC1 submitted to DAERA.

Herd keepers should not assume that the death will be recorded by the disposal agent or rendering plant.

The Department adopts a zero-tolerance policy to fraud.

Notes to editors: 

1. The Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Eradication Scheme Order (NI) 2016 (BVD Order), which came into operation  on 1 March 2016, requires that any calf born on or after that date is tagged and a tissue sample taken and tested for the presence of the BVD virus. The BVD Order sets out Scheme provisions but does not give statutory authority to the Department for the use of tissue samples for any purpose other than BVD testing.
2. On 30 November 2016, Minister McIlveen announced a financial support scheme to incentivise the humane destruction of BVD-infected calves funded under the Northern Ireland share of the EU Exceptional Adjustment Aid (EAA) package.  The legislation (The Single Common Market Organisation (Exceptional Adjustment Aid) Regulations (NI) 2017) giving effect to the scheme was approved by the AERA Committee on 19 January 2017 and came into operation on 1 February 2017. The funding available under the EAA package finishes at the end of September 2017.
3. Under the legislation, financial assistance is available to herd keepers with calves that have tested positive for the BVD virus which have not been moved from their herd of origin and have been humanely destroyed with their death confirmed on APHIS within four weeks of notification of the BVD positive result (or six weeks when a repeat analysis of the test result has been carried out), in addition to complying with the Cattle Identification Regulations (NI) 1999. Herd Keepers must additionally be fully compliant with the sampling requirements of the BVD Order.
4. The scheme is industry led, delivered by the Livestock and Meat Commission and Animal Health and Welfare NI with support from DAERA.
5. For further information contact Glenda Garcia via email: glenda.garcia@daera-ni.gov.uk
6. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or email DAERA Press Office. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07623 974 383 and your call will be returned.
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