FARMERS ACCUSED OF FMD COMPENSATION FRAUD

AGRICULTURE Minister Brid Rodgers has announced the launch of an investigation into fraudulent subsidy claims made by farmers whose livestock was culled following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

The move follows revelations that some of the farmers claiming compensation for sheep destroyed had in fact, no sheep at all, and over half claimed to have lost more animals than they had possessed.

Ms Rodgers said that her Department was committed to getting to the heart of the problem, and revealed that this autumn would see the publication of a counter-fraud strategy relating to the issue of subsidy claims.

Meanwhile, farmers in South Armagh are to be allowed to restock in a further relaxation of the restrictions surrounding the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

The province was given the go-ahead to resume meat, dairy and livestock exportation in June. However, while farmers are now in a position to restock their numbers of both cattle and sheep, many are finding that they are having to look outside the province in order to find their livestock.

The announcement follows DUP leader Ian Paisley’s call for action on the issue of resuming sheep sales in Northern Ireland, following the continued scaling down of precautions surrounding foot-and-mouth disease.

Describing the continued ban on the sale of non-pedigree sheep as detrimental to farmers ‘trying to earn a living’, Dr Paisley said he had written to Agriculture Minister Brid Rodgers, presenting the case for the resumption of the sale of all types of sheep. He warned that to delay action on the issue would irrevocably disrupt the farming calendar, and would have serious consequences on breeding stock. (CL)