Bootiful �1/2 M for Bernard Matthews.!

[Gromit]

Bernard Matthews is to be compensated by over half a million quid after the bird flu outbreak on it's Suffolk factory farm.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6571157.stm

The most likely explanation is that the infection came from the importation of turkey meat from Hungary, where Bernard Matthews has another factory farm.

The poor man has suffered greatly, is this handout from the taxpayers enough.

[youngmafbog]

"No specific proven source has been found"

If it was proven then I could perhaps agree with you but it is not.

We could of course not pay a penny and encourage Mr Mathews to take his business abroad putting people out of work of course.

And lets not forget if you dont pay compensation then farmers will be relucant to inform authorities until perhaps it is too late.

Look at the bigger picture not the news grabbing headines.

[Gromit]

I know I am on dodgy ground here quoting at Tory...

"The Conservative environment spokesman, Peter Ainsworth, said: "It seems entirely clear that there were breaches of biosecurity at the Bernard Matthews plant. It was a matter of sheer luck that bird flu didn't spread into the wild bird population. Many people will therefore be rather surprised by the FSA's decision not to take further action."

A �600,000 windfall, that'll teach 'em.

[Gromit]

"And lets not forget if you dont pay compensation then farmers will be relucant to inform authorities until perhaps it is too late. "

- If BM had have known they'd get �600,00 they might not have waited 2 days, and waited for their sheds to fill up with hundreds of dead birds before informing DEFRA. Nice one!

[anotheoldgit]

How much did the farmers get over the Foot & Mouth outbreak? It could not have been much, because a good few went bankrupt. I don't think Mr Matthews will suffer the same fate.

[Gromit]

anotheoldgit
BM is a �400M business, so �600,00 is mere chicken feed. Sorry.

[wired]

Totally agree Gromit, who was the importer and where was it imported from? We know the answer to that one AND the workers who were laid off got �19. x 5 days, wow will that be taxed?
BM is an all round winner and the tax payer, whether you eat reconstituted turkey or not, will be paying.

[Loosehead]

I know it's Bernard Mathews, a principle capitalist exploiter, but I should point out that the compo is �4 per bird for unninfected birds that where killed as a precaution under DEFRA rules. I realise the yoghurt knitters find it offensive but it is just one of many compo claims paid out in these curcumstances. Just thought I'd introduce the facts.

[wired]

Yes, Loosehead compensation for uninfected birds but those birds were put down to stop them being contaminated.As there was contamination on that particular farm which was the importer of contaminated turkey from their own farm in Hungary (does that make sense?) I do not believe that the rules for compensation apply. During the foot and mouth outbreak farmers who did NOT stop contamination of their herds were not compensated and rightly so.
Oh how I go on! time for a coffee, bye.