The Government’s flagship reforms in farming will encourage farmers to keep healthier, better-off animals. These include fully-funded annual vet appointments and grants to improve the conditions of livestock.
The Environment Secretary George Eustice spoke at the National Farmers Union conference and outlined his vision of international competitive livestock sectors. He laid out the plans for the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway which provides financial support to farmers in the pig and poultry sectors. It is based around key animal welfare and health priorities.
These measures include measures like reducing mastitis in dairy cattle, improving biosecurity for control of pig diseases endemic in the UK, and improving feather cover for laying hens. Animal Health and Welfare Grants will launch within the next year to help farming sectors make these improvements. They can be used to finance equipment and technology, or larger projects such as upgrading housing for dairy cows to improve lameness, cow comfort, and calf mortality.
The Government will initially offer funding to cattle, sheep, and pig farmers who qualify for the Basic Payment Scheme for an annual visit by a vet. This vet will perform diagnostic testing, review biosecurity and responsibly use medicines, and give advice on animal welfare. These visits will start later in the year (2022) and will be extended to other livestock producers over time.
The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway includes a disease eradication and management program. This will allow farmers to apply to financial support to help them take steps to prevent and decrease endemic diseases in their livestock, such as vaccinations, veterinary advice, or improvements to on farm management.
We are looking at a payment-by-results program. This would allow farmers to be rewarded for demonstrating high animal health and welfare outcomes.
George Eustice, Environment Minister, said:
The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway is designed for farmers who want to achieve higher profitability through better health outcomes. It starts with an annual veterinarian visit.
Farmers will be able choose the vet that they prefer, as well as the family vet they trust, and the government will cover the cost. This vet will be able assist the farmer in putting together a plan for improving animal health and increasing profitability of their livestock holdings.
Christine Middlemiss, Chief Veterinarian, stated:
I hope to see wide-spread adoption of the Annual Health and Welfare Review in normal business practice. Farmers will be more proactive in addressing endemic conditions and better outcomes. This will increase animal welfare and reduce antibiotic use.
The Government is creating a new, fairer farming system outside the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. This will benefit farmers. The Pathway is an integral part of the Agricultural Transition Plan’s farming reforms that promote the production and welfare of healthier and more productive animals.
England’s farmers already enjoy some of the best welfare standards in the country. The new measures will aid industry in adapting to global health challenges, such as antimicrobial resistant, zoonotic illness outbreaks, the race towards Net Zero, or biodiversity loss. The reforms will improve animal health and welfare, farm productivity as well as food security and public health.
We will be sharing more information in the Spring about how livestock farmers can apply for step one of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. This is the Annual Health and Welfare Review. Farmers will have the chance to influence the inclusion of items in the Animal Health and Welfare grants equipment and tech list. Representative industry organizations will provide further information about how to participate.
Additional information
The Pathway is not just about financial assistance. It includes three mutually reinforcing elements that will:
- Support livestock farmers financially by using public money to pay for welfare and health enhancements that are highly valued by the public but not yet delivered by the market or by existing regulatory standards.
- In order to stimulate market demand for higher-quality welfare products, consumers should be able to easily purchase food that aligns to their values. This will also improve transparency and provide the industry with an equal playing field for promoting such products. We are currently looking at market interventions like labelling (recent request for evidence) or mandatory public disclosure. These could increase accessibility, affordability, and affordability for higher welfare products for consumers while encouraging positive procurement choices for retailers.
- Over time, we will strengthen the regulatory framework. We will keep our current high standards, and raise them where necessary. Details are subject to consultation in all relevant sectors.
The Vet Visit
This will cover 2-3 hours of vet and farmer time to: examine the health and welfare their animals, including biosecurity, responsible use of medicine, and receive a report from a vet. The vet will also provide advice on what the farmer can do to improve their health and welfare.
Each Review will be unique. Each Review will be unique and the farmer and vet will decide which priorities to place. It will also include testing.
- Cattle: BVD
- Sheep: Drench Testing
- Pigs PRRS
It will be a cash payment. Farmers will need to agree a rate with their vet. We don’t expect to see the vet’s invoice. These rates will be the payments rates
- Pigs – 684
- 436
- Beef cattle – 522
- 372 dairy cattle
Based on priority testing, the payment rates have been set and refined in collaboration with industry. Payments will be made to the farmer for their commitment, vet visits, and diagnostic testing. Variation in the payment rates for different species is due to differing priority disease testing costs.
