DEFRA COMMENTS TO INQUIRIES ON FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE (FMD):
CLEANSING AND DISINFECTION (C AND D) OF PREMISES
All premises where animals have been slaughtered for disease control purposes are required to have completed preliminary disinfection as soon as practicable after the slaughter and disposal of the carcasses. DEFRA bears the cost of this preliminary disinfection.
Before premises can be restocked with animals, they are required to undergo secondary cleansing and disinfection (C and D) to the satisfaction of DEFRA veterinary staff. DEFRA normally pays the costs of secondary C and D, providing farms are in a reasonable state of cleanliness and repair, there are no health and safety implications for those concerned and the costs incurred are proportionate to the individual farm situation. In the small number of cases where secondary C and D does not take place, the premises are required to remain under restrictions for twelve months.
On current progress, it is expected that secondary C and D will be completed on nearly all premises by the middle of February 2002. Nearly 300 of those premises eligible will not undergo secondary C and D, e.g. because of the disproportionate costs involved, farmers leaving agriculture or not restocking, poor state of the farm, health and safety implications.
The total cost of C and D (including preliminary C and D but excluding ash removal, seized and destroyed items, pyre building, field reinstatement, slurry disposal etc) is estimated to total about £245m, roughly £35k per premise throughout the Country. Currently, costs amount to about £230m (including those completed, and to date on those currently undergoing C and D). This compares with the estimate of £875m in total, £100k per farm, that was being suggested in mid July, and based on comparable Swine Fever costs and relatively limited details of completed C and D on FMD premises.
The £245m and £230m are still subject to some refinement as final invoices are awaited, disputed invoices resolved and wrongly attributed non-C and D costs are apportioned elsewhere.
Within these figures, there continues to be regional variations due to size and complexity of farms, the number of premises where C and D was completed early on with a significant proportion of the work undertaken by contractors with higher rates rather than farmers themselves, etc.
Since 5 August, with renegotiated contracts in place, farmers have been encouraged to undertake the work themselves wherever possible. Many farmers have taken advantage of this opportunity and this has resulted in a reduction (significant in some cases) in average costs, both on those where C and D was suspended at the end of July, and on new premises where work commenced post 5 August.
