From guns and gundogs to the latest shooting news; the complete online network for the British shooting community.
By Selena Masson
Thursday, 18 June 2009
DEFRA's proposals for managing disease means a total 12p levy on every gamebird
The Game Farmers’ Association (GFA) asked DEFRA to clarify its proposed levy on gamebirds at a meeting held on 2 June. The controversial Responsibility and Cost Sharing for Animal Health and Welfare Consultation, which closes on 30 June, proposes forcing gamefarmers to pay a levy of 4p per bird as well as a mandatory insurance premium to share the costs of future outbreaks of diseases such as bird flu and foot-and-mouth.
According to DEFRA, the predicted average annual cost of managing disease is £32.5million, which would mean the total tax on every gamebird would be 12p, not 16p as previously calculated.
A spokesman for the Game Farmers’ Association told Shooting Times that the clarification did little to reduce its concerns: “Together with the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, we put more than 30 areas of concern to the officials working on the responsibility and cost-sharing scheme. We explained how imposing more costs on UK game rearers could only lead to yet more gamebird imports and would be counter-productive in disease management terms.”
The rest of this article appears in 18th June issue of Shooting Times.
Tikka .308 Lite T3 rifle review: This Tikka T3 .308 conforms to the sa... Read more
He knows what 'heel' means, obeys for three seconds and then... Read more
The shooting industry is now feeling the pinch as the UK sinks nearer ... Read more
Don't miss your chance to enter our FREE prize draw in this week's magazine (on sale 10th March) to win the new Browning B525 Hunter 12-bore worth over £1,400. Get down to your newsagents and buy your copy now!
Save up to 30% on a subscription to Shooting Times & Country Magazine, subscribe today!
Save up to 30% on a subscription to Shooting Times & Country Magazine, subscribe today!
Comments