Easier route to compensation for infected animals

With the increasing detection of infectious diseases in animals in Lithuania, such as African swine fever and bird flu, the Ministry of Agriculture (MAA) proposes to make it easier for animal owners to receive compensation for losses incurred.

„We want to improve the availability of compensation for those residents and businesses who suffer losses when animals they keep are affected by contagious diseases and have to take measures to control the outbreak," Daiva Veličkienė, head of the Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, told BNS. 

She said that the new procedure will still have to be approved by the European Commission: „This process could take several months“. 

The MAFF is proposing to pay compensation for five preventive measures, rather than the current two, which should be taken by both individuals and farms to protect livestock or poultry from infectious diseases.  

Additional reimbursement is promised for the disinfection of premises and equipment, and for the slaughter and destruction of animals. 

An additional compensation is paid for two measures: the average market value of slaughtered and destroyed animals and the loss of income due to premature slaughter. 

Owners of animals will be obliged to immediately notify the State Food and Veterinary Office of suspected disease. Currently, a veterinarian must be informed of a suspected outbreak.

In addition, animal owners would be compensated for their losses for a slightly longer period of time, and it is proposed to pay compensation to farm owners who are in financial difficulties, which is not currently allowed.

The state budget is expected to allocate €262,000 annually for these payments, about the same as now, but Veličkienė said that if funds were scarce, other sources would be sought.