DISPOSAL OF FALLEN STOCK

That this House regrets that DEFRA ministers have been slow to address farmers' concerns about the EU Animal By-Products Regulation and specifically the arrangements for the implementation of these regulations; believes that DEFRA ministers continue to underestimate the scale of the problem and have failed to promote clear guidance for farmers relating to the issue; notes that there is no sound scientific evidence that demonstrates that the correct burying of dead animals on-farm causes either human or animal health problems; has grave concerns about the financial implications for the industry that a fallen stock charge would bring; and, given the financial arrangements for fallen stock schemes in other countries, also has grave concerns about its effects on the competitiveness of British agriculture; and urges the Government to address the uneven geographical distribution of disposal facilities, notably incineration plants, in implementing such a policy.