Benn told to scrap plans for new animal health body

The British Egg Industry Council, the British Poultry Council, the Game Farmers Association, the National Beef Association, the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers and the Tenant Farmers Association say hey are united on the issue.

Each will be submitting their own detailed response to Defra’s Responsibility and Cost Sharing consultation.

But they tell Mr Benn they have combined in the letter to ‘leave you to be in no doubt as to the strength and unity of our concern on this issue’.

While rejecting the independent body approach, the groups said it ‘fully supports’ the development of the current framework of core and stakeholder group partnerships.

“We believe this is the most effective and efficient basis for the way ahead,” the letter says.

“The core and stakeholder partnership model has already proved itself to be successful in the handling of disease crises and in the sharing of responsibility for animal diseases and the cost burdens associated with these.

“The establishment of an arms length body is not the way forward and we are convinced that working in partnership to take the animal health agenda forward will be the best option for all concerned.

“What is important is working closely with you, the CVO and Defra officials to develop policies and practices which will deliver improved animal health and welfare within the budget constraints for both the government and the industry.”

TFA chief executive, George Dunn explained why his organisation had signed the letter.

“The TFA is unconvinced that it is appropriate or necessary to create a new independent body for animal health.

“We are aware of those who believe that creating such a body would remove the ‘politics from animal health policy’, however the TFA simply does not believe that that will be the case.

“We are well aware that for some time it has been the Government's intention to pass Exchequer costs for animal health onto the industry.

“The TFA believes that those organisations supporting the independent body approach are simply providing a false legitimacy to the Government’s plans to charge the industry.

"The independent body will simply be a wolf in sheep's clothing with no real benefit to the industry or the wider public,” said Mr Dunn.

He said the letter ‘sent a clear statement of rejection’ of Mr Benn’s current approach to animal health issues and called for other organisations to ‘join with us as they are prompted to do so by their members’.