15 April 2009

2 minute read

Europe

Derek Deane said it is unacceptable for the Minister to pull the plug on funding for the Fallen Animal Collection scheme without putting in place procedures for farmers to avail of alternative, cost effective and appropriate methods of disposal.

“Farm families that are already cash strapped cannot afford to pay €190 to dispose of an animal that may already be carrying veterinary bills of €100 - €200 on top of the actual animal value loss. The new charges agreed by the knackeries cartel at a meeting last Sunday are clearly anti-competitive and represent a €16m increase in the cost of fallen animal disposal for farmers bringing the total cost to at least €22m annually.”

The IFA Deputy President said the current bureaucratic high cost system that was put in place by the Department of Agriculture when they were prepared to fund the scheme, must be changed immediately.

He said farmers must be allowed to avail of direct delivery to renderers, hunts and kennels where these facilities are within viable reach of farmers. In areas remote from these facilities burial under licensing in suitable designated areas must be allowed.

By offering these alternatives to farmers the Minister will be providing real competition in the area of fallen animal disposal. In the event that fallen animals have a salvage value then there is a role for knackeries to play by competing for these animals with the alternative disposal methods. But, the Minister cannot allow the situation to continue, where a farmer’s only option is to employ the services of a knackery cartel to haul his fallen animal to a rendering plant at charges of up to €190.

In relation to the cost of rendering, the Minister must immediately address the nonsensical situation that sees this product sterilised to the highest standards only to be exported at a cost which farmers are now being asked to carry.

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