Farmers seek fast compensation

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says all farmers know they won’t receive compensation overnight for their Mycoplasma bovis-affected farms.

Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon has accused O’Connor of not providing certainty on what compensation they will receive as a result of the disease.

Last week, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) announced the nationwide cull of 22,200 cattle from infected farms.

O’Connor said legislation said the Government, by law, would have to provide farmers with compensation, and was working to verify losses and provide accurate compensation to farmers.

‘‘Every farmer knows it doesn’t happen overnight. We’re working as quickly as we can on this.’’

O’Connor said about 30 MPI

"Every farmer knows it doesn't happen overnight."

Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor, on compensation for farms affected by Mycoplasma bovis

employees were working through compensation claims.

‘‘This is a new challenge for everyone in New Zealand. We undertook culling as soon as we came into Government.

‘‘There’s no guarantees with this disease and it will take a few months to eradicate.’’

Falloon said since the culling announcement, he had had calls from a number of affected farmers about what compensation they would receive. ‘‘What’s really troubling is that the Government haven’t been at all clear with farmers about what compensation they’ll receive.’’

He said nearly all of the affected farms had done nothing wrong, and deserved fast and fair compensation.

MPI response director Geoff Gwyn said the ministry was working with farmers, transport companies, and meat processors to determine when would be the best time to cull and how best to arrange the movement of stock.

Rural Transport general manager Jim Crouchley, who has operations based in Ashburton, Waimate, Fairlie and Kurow, said transport firms had to go through a permit process with the MPI, before they could carry infected stock.