'Good Start' On Snow-Affected Livestock - O'Neill

Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill says a good start has been made with regard to the collection of livestock that died as a result of recent snowy weather.

The Minister was speaking on Friday at the Plumbridge farm of Eugene O’Neill, who lost a number of livestock during the adverse weather conditions.

The Minister said: "To date, 3,130 livestock have been collected across the affected areas. This immediate work is very important for a range of animal health and environmental impact factors."

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has received approval from the Executive to provide financial assistance to farmers whose livelihoods have been threatened by the snow storm.

"The final hardship package will be linked to verifiable losses," Minister O'Neill explained.

"The Department will get this necessary information as farmers have stock removed and disposed of by the approved renderers. We have made it clear that farmers in affected areas will have these collection and disposal costs met by the Department."

The Minister explained that the list of published postcode areas for the collection and disposal scheme will not exclude farmers from other areas who have suffered severe livestock losses as a result of the snow storm.

She said: "It is clear that there are smaller discrete areas in other locations in the north, such as the farm I am visiting today, where farmers have been equally affected by the snow storm. Farmers who feel they should be eligible, but are not in the published postcode areas, should ring the DARD helpline 0300 200 7852 and provide information which would support their eligibility. This will be assessed from both other calls received on the helpline and from information provided by DARD staff on the ground responding to those calls.

"The vast majority of calls received from such farmers to date, including a number from around the Sperrins and other affected areas in the west, have been accepted into the scheme on the basis of the evidence provided. The evidence that is taken into consideration includes information provided by the farmer, information available from DARD staff on the ground who have visited farms in the immediate vicinity and satellite imagery of snow fall."

(IT)