The harvest in the country is in full swing. Unfortunately, the ASF virus is not idle either.
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We know the details of the latest ASF outbreaks. Almost 3,000 pigs were slaughtered
During Friday's session of the Sejm, MP Tadeusz Tomaszewski (Left Wing) addressed, among others, the following words to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development: such a question:
– We are in the harvest season. Farmers ask whether farmers can sell grain to collection points from farms where ASF outbreaks have been detected, but also from farms in the protection and risk zones.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jacek Czerniak replied:
– According to Polish legislation, if grain is secured in silos or big bags, it is not subject to restrictions regarding the 30-day quarantine period, because that is the procedure here. Those who have this protection can rest assured, while those who do not have it must wait for 30 days, a quarantine period, before introducing it to the market.
What compensation for ASF?
MP Tomaszewski also asked the Sejm what forms of assistance exist, in accordance with applicable law, for breeders and farmers who will lose their herds due to ASF outbreaks. Is this help just compensation for the animals that were killed? Is there any other state aid that could be used?
As Deputy Minister Czerniak recalled, breeders whose farms suffer from disease are provided with assistance in the form of compensation.
– You are entitled to compensation from the state budget. Compensation is due in the amount of the market value, and this market value is determined on the basis of three amounts accepted by, firstly, the district doctor and two appraisers appointed by this doctor. Ladies and Gentlemen, the amount of possible compensation in each case depends on the current market situation and the average amount of the estimate. This estimate is made by way of an administrative decision.
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In addition to this compensation, biosecurity assistance is provided to pig producers.
– It is worth emphasizing that the refund – this is, of course, de minimis aid – is 100%. What is included in this 100% biosecurity reimbursement? This includes the purchase of disinfection maps, the purchase of equipment for disinfection, disinfestation or rodent control treatments and biocidal products, the purchase of protective clothing and protective footwear, the protection of buildings in which pigs are kept against access by pets, the reconstruction or renovation of premises for the purpose of keeping pigs. pigs on the farm in separate, closed rooms with separate entrances and no direct passage to other rooms. I am informing you about this, farmers and pig producers know that from July 3 to 26 this year. applications for this type of biosecurity assistance can be submitted to district offices. This aid is included in the financial plan of the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture. Funds of over PLN 18 million have been planned for this purpose in 2024, informed the deputy minister.
He also reminded that from June 27, 2024 to August 2, 2024, a recruitment of applications for investments preventing the spread of ASF is being carried out (under the PS for the CAP 2023-2027).
– This intervention aims to prevent the spread of ASF. The support concerns investments that will be the implementation of biosecurity tasks, including fencing of pigsty and the purchase of biosecurity devices. The maximum amount of assistance granted to the beneficiary under this instrument may not exceed PLN 100,000. zloty. This aid is granted for an operation whose planned eligible costs will exceed PLN 20,000. zloty. The value of this assistance is 80% of the eligible costs of the operation or 80% of the established rates.
National aid
These are two types of assistance in combating ASF. In addition, as the deputy minister informed, within the national budget , as part of national aid, in accordance with the regulation of the Council of Ministers of January 27, 2015 on the detailed scope and methods of implementing certain tasks of the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture, pig producers can benefit from several types of aid. in the form of financial support .
– First of all, it is about financial assistance for pig producers who have stopped production due to the current ban on keeping pigs on farms or introducing them to the farm. Over PLN 6.6 million is allocated for this assistance in the ARiMR budget.
Another support in the form of a financial instrument are interest-free loans to finance unsettled civil liabilities for producers conducting agricultural activities in areas where ASF occurs. The aid is also de minimis in agriculture. PLN 10 million is allocated for this purpose in the ARiMR financial plan for the current year, i.e. in 2024.
Another, third financial instrument to support producers are interest subsidies on bank loans. Currently, the interest rate is approximately 2.8% for pig producers who have stopped producing pigs due to the ban on keeping and introducing pigs on farms due to the occurrence of African swine fever – said Jacek Czerniak.
Co-financing for mobile cold stores
– I wanted to ask the minister about the following issue. In the Poznań district there is a suspicion that there may have been infection (ASF – editor's note) from, among others, wild boar or wild boars. At (…) the agricultural and hunting forum, the issue of the lack of a sufficient number of cold storage facilities when wild boars are shot was raised. Is it possible to provide such support, for example by purchasing a mobile cold storage unit? – MP Tomaszewski asked.
– The general rule is that these cold stores are purchased from the funds of the Veterinary Inspection. Previously, talks were underway to involve the Ministry of Climate and Environment in participating in the costs of purchasing the cold storage facility. However, it is also possible to purchase from reserve no. 12, of course the voivode's reserve. If there is such a demand, you must apply for it. We will simply make sure to implement it – replied Deputy Minister Czerniak.
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Is stopping the preventive slaughter of herds in the Gniezno district a good decision?
