Lewes MP Norman Baker has criticised proposals unveiled in the government's draft Animal Health Bill which would see livestock farmers in Sussex and across the country pay half the cost of preparing for animal disease outbreaks.
Currently, the government spends an estimated £44 million annually on preventing such outbreaks, but government proposals unveiled yesterday would make farmers pick up half the cost through a new tax on livestock.
Local MP Norman Baker has criticised the proposals, which would be hugely expensive for farmers across the Lewes area. The annual figure of £22m would be raised by putting a levy on different animals, from £4.80 for a dairy cow to 4p for a chicken.
Norman Baker commented:
"The government's decision to pass the buck in this way is hugely unfair. If these proposals go through, the impact on hard-working farmers in my constituency will be enormous.
"Farmers are aware that measures must be taken to protect public health, but in these challenging economic times, it is completely unreasonable to shift the burden onto livestock farmers in Lewes."
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