Farmers to access new funds through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway

The repositioned funding aims to benefit animal health and welfare, farm productivity, food security, public health, UK trade and the environment.

The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway is a long-term, project partnership, co-designed by government and industry, across cattle (beef and dairy), sheep, pig and poultry (layer and broiler) sectors to support continual improvement in health and welfare.

The first of four steps were launched in February 2023 to provide farmers in England with a fully funded vet visit.

Step 1: The annual health and welfare review

As of February 2023, farmers are eligible for a fully funded, annual farm visit from their own vet for up to three years. Initially available for cattle, sheep and pig farmers who are eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), it is now open to all farmers in England who have:

• 11 or more beef cattle
• 11 or more dairy cattle
• 21 or more sheep
• 51 or more pigs

The Review will fulfil the requirements for obtaining a Vet Attestation Number (VAN), should your abattoir or processor exports products of animal to the EU and require this. The VAN process replaces the previous temporary farmer declaration.

Future developments for the Review are in the pipeline and may include the option for farmers to have more than one Review each year if they keep:

• More than one species
• Multiple herds and flocks of the same species

Industry agreed payment rates, per review, include testing for priority diseases.

*From 19 June 2024, and in response to feedback, the PRRS disease testing component of the Annual Health and Welfare Review for pigs was changed from blood sampling to oral sampling.

This provides better pig welfare, is easier for vets and farmers to carry out, and is more cost effective.

The original payment of £684 has, therefore, been reduced to £557.

Step 2: Capital grants

Since March 2023, farmers have been able to apply for grants to co-fund capital investments that support key health and welfare priorities.

Farmers can agree with their vet the most appropriate investments for their farm and animals.

• Small grants – selected from a list of equipment and technology items
• Larger grants – for new housing, building upgrades and pasture improvements

Further details are available on the Government Farming Investment Fund webpages, with updates provided through Defra’s farming blog.

Step 3: Disease eradication control programmes

From 19 June 2024, eligible farmers can claim an additional financial support package to help prevent and reduce priority diseases.

The funding is only available to farmers who have carried out 'Step one: The Annual Health and Welfare Review'.

The bolt-on package provides further financial support towards endemic disease testing.

As part of this funding, farmers will have access to further assessments and advice on diseases based on the results of the Annual Review and receive tailored guidance on how to treat and control the disease and improve biosecurity on their individual farms.

Initially, this additional support is only available to farmers of beef cattle, sheep and pigs. Support for dairy cattle farmers has yet to be announced and will follow in due course.

You can complete and claim for up to three Annual Reviews and three follow-ups.

To be eligible, you must:

• Do the follow-up within 10 months of the Annual Review
• Wait at least 10 months between your follow-ups
• Wait for your Annual Review claim to be approved before you claim for the follow-up

Step 4: Payment-by-results

Payment-by-results will reward farmers who demonstrate high health and welfare outcomes in herds and flocks. Trials are likely to take place in 2024, with a possible rollout in 2025.

Cattle vet Jonathan Statham, who has worked with the team developing the Pathway said:

“The Pathway is all about the farmer’s own vet working with the farmer on an individual farm basis. So, if you are sheep, cattle, pigs or mixed, if you are farm assured, if you are non-farm assured, we will have a format that covers your farm’s needs.”

The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway forms part of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) supporting:

• Sustainable food production founded on high welfare
• Disease prevention
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Reduced GHG emissions