SLAUGHTER Premiums for cattle destroyed in the Livestock Welfare Disposal scheme during foot-and-mouth will be backdated, the Government announced this week.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has finally agreed that the premium will be paid after initially saying animals taken under the scheme would not be eligible for the payment.

The move is likely to mean that more than £5million of premiums will be paid for 162,000 cattle destroyed under the scheme in 2001.

NFU president Ben Gill said the Government’s change of heart would be a boost for farmers involved.

“We always believed that cattle slaughtered in abattoirs under the scheme should have been eligible for payment. We have been in discussion with DEFRA for some time on the issue and I am delighted with this decision to make these backdated Slaughter Premium payments.”