News in brief: An award-winning UK cattle farmer is taking his 16-year compensation dispute over cattle culling due to bovine tuberculosis to a High Court, seeking interest on the amount awarded by an independent valuer. If successful, the case could set a precedent for other affected farmers and potentially result in millions of pounds in compensation.
An award-winning cattle farmer in County Fermanagh, has received permission to take his 16-year compensation wait challenge to a High Court.
The BBC report left out the farmer’s name but mentions that he lost his herd of cattle in 2007 to culling efforts to eradicate bovine tuberculosis (bTB). It also reveals that he has won awards for his pedigree cattle at shows across the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) had seized his herd for culling. Under a statutory scheme, farmers are entitled to compensation for animals, in similar situation, another coverage of the story said. The compensation is based on the market value of the animals at the time of seizure.
The farmer had been reportedly dissatisfied with the payment that Daera proposed and opted to have an independent valuer appointed. In the end, the valuer assessed the market value of the animals at £21,000 more than what the department had offered. Daera disputed the valuer’s assessment and appealed to a three-person panel, which is ongoing.
The farmer is now seeking a judicial review of Daera’s decision not to pay interest on the amount awarded by the valuer. He argues that he is entitled to interest under the statutory scheme.
If successful, the farmer’s case could be worth millions of pounds to other farmers who have been affected by similar delays in compensation payments. The case is due to be heard in the High Court in Belfast in the coming months.
