Takac: Small Farmers Affected by Foot-and-Mouth to Receive Compensation

Bratislava, April 7 (TASR) - Small farmers whose animals have had to be culled due to foot-and-mouth disease should receive compensation this week, stated Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) following Monday's government meeting. He didn't specify the amount, but according to him, it should be sufficient for the farmers to acquire new livestock. "Small farmers will begin receiving financial compensation in their accounts this week. I personally signed about 31 contracts with small farmers from Dunajska Streda district (Trnava region) on Friday [April 4]," specified Takac, adding that compensation for large farms will be provided later. According to Takac, the compensation will be funded from the state budget, specifically from the Agriculture Ministry's budget. "We have specific financial resources allocated for state aid schemes," he noted. The amount of compensation has been set so that the small farmers can replace the livestock culled by state authorities. "In principle, those whose livestock have been euthanised will be able to buy exactly the same number of animals with the compensation," he added. The Agriculture Minister once again urged small farmers to legalise their so-called 'black farms' [with unregistered animals] by April 9. "The State Veterinary and Food Administration head has issued a directive allowing small farmers across Slovakia to register their black farms by Wednesday [April 9]. I therefore urge anyone who has such an unregistered farm to report it via the regional veterinary and food administration," added Takac. lin/df