British government compensation payments to farmers who lost animals due to foot-and-mouth disease are slowly approaching £1 billion, it emerged today.
Britain’sDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said it had already paid out £804 million to farmers whose livestock has been culled, with a further £84 million pending.
The figures already dwarf the £11.5 million which had been paid out in BSE compensation by April last year - and more foot-and-mouth payments expected.
So far, 1,793 cases have been confirmed since the first outbreak was reported more than four months ago and almost 3.5 million animals have been slaughtered.
Three more cases were reported yesterday, while the Government's chief scientific adviser Professor David King has warned that cases are likely to continue throughout the summer.
The average payment to farmers stood at around £116,000.
It has also estimated that veterinary bills and blood testing of farm animals will cost around £79 million, while £195 million will have to be spent on cleaning and disinfecting farms and £152 million on transport and the disposal of carcasses.
PA