Interesting piece from Norway, which confirms that where insurance exists, it is paying out for culling MRSA cc398 hit herds.
The article is partly a predictable argument about insufficient and late state compensation. We are all familiar with this scene.
Back in 2001 & 2, there were claims that there was no insurance available in Britain for such a government ordered cull, specifically the CSF and FMD then plaguing the country.
When we queried why there was no insurance available in Britain, we never did get a satisfactory reply.
There were suggestions that the EU played a part in the situation (Note Norway is not a member of the EU).
There were, and are, obvious issues as to why the taxpayer was compensating farmers for a known business risk, but there was a much more important underlying issue.
Where insurance exists, the underwriters play a very important role in regulating the industry, penalising high risk activities and favouring prudence and care.
If farmers are businesses, and for sure in Britain they almost always are, normal business practices play an important role and insurance against known risks is one of them. A properly regulated industry is very much in the interests of farmers.
The whole issue needs investigating.
The full Norwegian report is here, please read in full understanding that it is a mechanical translation.
Farmers do not receive compensation for antibiotic resistant bacteria in pigs
MRSA frame farmers get hundreds of thousands in losses. Experts fear the poor and late replacement turn undercut efforts to combat the infection.
BJARNE BEKKEHEIEN AASE
PUBLISHED: 8/9/14 2:30 | UPDATED: 08/09/14 6:29 P.M.
A year after the first swine farms to slaughter all pigs in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacterium MRSA, farmers have still not received compensation. And compensation they can expect covers nearly the losses they incurred, according to experts.
Special Veterinary Odd Magne Karlsen in Meat and Poultry Association (KLF) feared that a lame and cumbersome system and poor compensation schemes should turn undercut efforts against the feared contagion...
...MRSA is a variation of Staphylococcus aureus that has developed resistance to antibiotics. In Denmark, four people have died of swine-MRSA. In Norway, MRSA frame farmers, for the sake of public health, slaughter and redevelop the whole swine herds. According to the FSA shows the fight against MRSA promising results, but the farmers who have been affected are in despair over compensation schemes.
Insurance payments to cover operating losses comes According to Karlsen quickly and works well for farmers who have subscribed insurance. Dissatisfaction, however, is great with the public compensation scheme, which will cover the loss of animals and costs of
remediation...
...He bring forward that the economic analyzes show that the community will save significant costs on swine production is free of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Compensation schemes that cover the actual losses for farmers believe he is therefore a good investment...
..."Progress is about to stop. I feared it might turn undercut impressive efforts to get rid of MRSA. " Norwegian Farmers' Union support and demand for better compensation
system...
...Listhaug will not comment on the criticism of the compensation schemes across Nations.
