The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) has an obligation to ensure the safe disposal of fallen stock which can present a significant environmental, animal and human health risk. Farmers can contact the Department of Infrastructure’s Fallen Stock Service to arrange for the collection of dead animals. The Service has continued to perform well following the recent adverse weather and subsequent significant increase in requests for collections. Collection fees have temporarily been waived to assist farmers at this difficult time.
Ordinarily it is illegal to bury fallen stock. However, the recent severe weather has resulted in an increase of fallen stock in inaccessible areas. DEFA has therefore agreed a temporary suspension of the regulations to allow on-farm disposal in exceptional circumstances. The temporary suspension will operate for a limited period between 15 April and 28 April.
Permission for on-farm disposal will be granted on a case by case basis and only where collection would pose a risk to the health and safety of the personnel carrying out the collection or where access would necessitate the use of disproportionate means of collection. DEFA will consider the risk of pollution and or the viability of removing the animals.
Minister for Agriculture Phil Gawne said “Farmers should continue to do everything that they can to facilitate the removal of fallen stock from their farm and should contact the Fallen Stock Service in the first instance. On-farm disposal must be approved in advance and will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances.”
Farmers with fallen stock which require collection or seeking permission for on-farm disposal should contact the Fallen Stock Service on +44 1624 687595.
