Bernard Matthews receives £600k bird flu compensation

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Bernard Matthews to receive £600k bird flu compensation

 

BERNARD Matthews will get nearly £600,000 compensation for healthy birds slaughtered in the bird flu outbreak, the Government said today.

 

Some 160,000 turkeys were killed at the Suffolk farm to prevent the H5N1 virus spreading.

 

It is most likely the infection came to Britain via imported turkey meat from Hungary, a report published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says.

 

Investigators did not uncover any "proven" source for the bird flu outbreak at the Bernard Matthews plant.

 

Defra said such compensation was offered as an incentive to report diseases early.

 

An earlier investigation by the Food Standards Agency found no basis for prosecuting Bernard Matthews over the bird flu outbreak.

 

Animal Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said: "This episode reflects the need for constant vigilance, high levels of biosecurity and robust and well developed contingency planning."

 

so £600 grand of tax payers money goes to the company that brought bird flu here. Something not right there.

[ewerk 26192]

The point about it being an incentive to report it early makes sense though, perhaps not in this case but certainly if it were to happen someone not as wealthy as Matthews.