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Bovis infected farm waiting over five months for compensation

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 2 Jan 2020, 2:12pm
van Leeuwen Dairy was one of the first farms infected. (Photo / NZ Herald)

Bovis infected farm waiting over five months for compensation

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 2 Jan 2020, 2:12pm

The farming group whose Mycoplasma bovis infected herd was culled five months ago is still waiting for compensation.

More than 3,000 of van Leeuwen Dairy's stock were culled in an effort to stop the spread of Mycoplasma bovis.

Affected farmers are able to claim compensation under the Biosecurity Act 1993.

But van Leeuwen Dairy spokesperson Paul Tocker told Larry Williams the disease has cost more than $8 million and they've only seen around a million dollars in interim funds.

"We are well out of pocket, and this has seriously challenged the business's cashflow."

Agriculture Minister Damien O'Conner is looking to speed up the compensation process.

In total, 22,000 cattle from more than 20 farms will be culled.

He says evaluating infected animals to be culled isn't a simple process but payment needs to be quicker.

"It shouldn't take this long, and I certainly have been pushing as hard as I can, but I'm not able to directly intervene, these are technically legal issues, and I have to trust the process."

 

LISTEN TO DAMIEN O'CONNOR AND PAUL TOCKER TALK WITH LARRY WILLIAMS ABOVE

 

 

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