Funding for free testing under Gwaredu BVD has now been extended until March 2021. Funding for Young Stock Screening has been extended from 31st August 2020 to the 31st March 2021, with financial support available to hunt PIs until the end of 2022.
This increased payment rate for fourth tests (i.e for those that have tested every year) will apply retrospectively from April 27th, 2020. Any fourth tests conducted before the extension date (September 1st, 2020) will be honoured and paid as part of the extended programme.
Funding is available for those that have tested already (to continue yearly testing) and for those that have never tested before. We encourage all FUW members to engage as discussions on legislation for BVD continue and it is likely that this will begin in 2021.
The first round of funding provided £500 (£400 for testing and £100 for the vet) to hunt for PI animals after a positive youngstock test. In some cases, this would not have covered the cost of screening all animals during the PI hunt. Some farmers will therefore have chosen to top up this funding in order to screen every suitable animal. As part of the Gwaredu BVD extension, this PI hunt funding has doubled to £1000.
In order to ensure that those engaging earlier do not suffer a disadvantage, farmers who paid extra to hunt PI animals can now claim this money back (up to the £1000 ceiling in total).
Farmers should contact Gwaredu BVD in order to submit a claim. For more information on the programme extension, please visit www.ahww.cymru.